French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated confidential talks with US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, advocating for a change in the West's approach to Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Macron's proposition suggests adopting a stance of strategic ambiguity, wherein Western nations refrain from ruling out any options, including military intervention, in their dealings with Russia. This shift marks a departure from the Biden administration's previous strategy, which aimed to avoid actions that could provoke Moscow and escalate the conflict.

While Macron sees strategic ambiguity as a means to deter Russia, both Biden and Scholz have expressed reservations, fearing that such a move could lead to division among allies and further escalation of the conflict. In February, Macron informed Biden and Scholz of his intention to present this new approach during an upcoming summit in Paris. However, Scholz cautioned against it, warning that it could sow discord among allies.

The tension between Russia and NATO has escalated to a level of "direct confrontation," according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. He pointed out that the US-led alliance's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, coupled with its continued expansion toward Russia's borders, has exacerbated the situation. "In fact, these relations have now descended to the level of direct confrontation. NATO countries and the Alliance itself are already involved in the conflict over Ukraine. NATO continues its movement towards our borders, expands its military infrastructure towards them," Peskov stated. He described NATO as a "destabilizing factor" on the European continent that undermines security. Despite the strained relations, Peskov mentioned that there are no current plans for talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron. However, Putin remains open to dialogue.

Macron's statements on the deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine have drawn criticism from US officials, who fear it could escalate tensions with Russia. Macron remains steadfast in his position, emphasizing that any deployment would not involve offensive action against Russia. France might be doing this to force Russia into a negotiating stance to settle the disputes in Africa.