Putin blames Kyiv for escalation, but says diplomacy should 'intensify'

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Kyiv for a military escalation in east Ukraine in a call with French leader Emmanuel Macron, but said diplomatic efforts to find a resolution needed to intensify.

Putin "noted that the cause of the escalation is provocations carried out by the Ukrainian security forces," according to a Kremlin readout of the call, which added however that the two leaders "believe it is important to intensify efforts to find solutions through diplomatic means".





Putin also repeated a call for "the United States and NATO to take Russian demands for security guarantees seriously".