"Had an urgent conversation with President Emmanuel Macron. Informed about the aggravation on the frontline, our losses, the shelling of Ukrainian politicians & international journalists," Zelensky said on Twitter.
"Discussed the need and possible ways of immediate de-escalation & political-diplomatic settlement," he added.
Tensions have risen dramatically in eastern Ukraine this week, with a growing number of cease-fire violations, multiple shelling incidents, and evacuation of civilians from the pro-Russian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Western countries have accused Russia of amassing more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that it could be planning a military offensive against its ex-Soviet neighbor.
Moscow has repeatedly denied any plan to invade Ukraine and instead accused Western countries of undermining Russia’s security through NATO’s expansion toward its borders.
