Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged not to escalate tensions over Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron has said.
The French president made his comments after meeting Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Tuesday.
As he did so, six Russian warships headed to the Black Sea for naval drills amid continuing tension between the West and Moscow.
With more than 100,000 Russian troops massed on his country's border, Mr Zelenskiy said after meeting Mr Macron he is looking for "concrete steps", does not want "a game" and does "not really trust words".
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Mr Macron's comments appear to echo those of a French official, who said earlier that Moscow had pledged not to stage new military manoeuvres near the border with Ukraine for the time being.
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The Kremlin later said the suggestion – which followed talks between Mr Putin and Mr Macron in Moscow on Monday – was "not right".
During a news conference in the Ukrainian capital, Mr Macron also said it could take months to resolve the crisis.
The French president told reporters that both Russia and Ukraine were committed to honouring the Minsk accords and there was the "possibility of advancing negotiations".
The Minsk agreements were signed in 2014 and 2015 by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea.
They include an aim to end a separatist war by Russian-speakers in Ukraine's eastern Donbass region.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied any Russian pledge not to stage new military manoeuvres near the border with Ukraine.
Moscow has denied promising not to stage new manoeuvres near the border with Ukraine. Pic: AP
Mr Peskov said Russia and France had not been able to strike a deal on de-escalating tensions.
He added, however, that the meeting between Mr Putin and Mr Macron had provided a basis for more work on the issue and that de-escalation was needed.
The same French official said Mr Putin had agreed that troops taking part in a military exercise on Belarusian territory near Ukraine's border would be pulled back once those drills had finished on 20 February.
Mr Peskov said troops would return to their bases in Russia following the exercises, but did not give a precise date.
Paris appeared to distance itself from its official's remarks on Tuesday. It said they referred to certain points discussed by the two presidents rather than a specific new promise from the Russian leader.
The Russian defence ministry said the six ships heading for the Black Sea are part of a planned movement of military resources, according to the Interfax news agency.
At least one of the vessels was seen passing through Turkey's Bosphorus strait on its way to the Black Sea on Tuesday, with more expected on Wednesday, Turkish sources said.
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Ukrainian tanks hold drills
Read more: Three new signs of Russian invasion plans
Vladimir Putin has warned that European countries would be drawn into military conflict if Ukraine were to join NATO.
He also said there would be "no winners" from the ongoing crisis.
Russia has insisted it has no plans to attack Ukraine.
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US President Joe Biden has warned there "will no longer be Nord Stream 2", a crucial European gas pipeline, if Russia crosses into Ukrainian territory.
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