French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were holding new talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war in Ukraine on Saturday, March 12, the Elysee palace said, according to AFP.

The three leaders had already spoken by telephone on Thursday when both Macron and Scholz had "demanded an immediate ceasefire by Russia."

Since meeting Putin in the Kremlin on February 7, Macron has had nine phone calls with the Russian leader, his office said.