Expert: Putin-Macron talks may ease tensions over Ukraine

The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron has raised the hope of the situation in Ukraine de-escalating, but a "decisive shift" has yet to come as relations between Russia and NATO are getting more complicated and mistrust between Washington and the Kremlin is growing, a researcher said.

Emerging from a more than five-hour meeting in the Kremlin on Monday, the leaders voiced hope that a solution could be found to the crisis between Russia and the West.

Putin said Moscow is willing to "find compromises" and that it is "possible" to move forward on "a number" of proposals presented by Macron that might lead to the de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine.