Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised not to take new military initiatives near Ukraine’s borders for the time being as a sign of readiness for possible de-escalation, a French official said after Putin’s talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Russian leader, according to the French official, also agreed that troops taking part in exercises on Belarusian territory near Ukraine’s borders would be withdrawn after the exercises ended.

Putin himself made no mention of such concessions when he spoke to the media after six hours of talks with Macron in the Kremlin on Monday.

Reuters was unable to get independent confirmation that Russia had made such commitments.

The French official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

He added that during the talks Macron had agreed to an “open dialog about strategic issues,” but did not specify what the talks might be about.

According to the French official, the talks agreed to intensify diplomatic contacts within the Normandy format, in which France and Germany act as mediators in talks involving Russia and Ukraine.