INTERNATIONAL: U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit over Ukraine, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron has announced on Monday,February 21, provided Russia does not invade its neighbour.

In a statement released early Monday, the Elysee Palace has said Macron had pitched both leaders on a summit over "security and strategic stability in Europe."

The statement says ; "Presidents Biden and Putin have both accepted the principle of such a summit," before adding that such a meeting would be impossible if Russia invaded Ukraine as Western nations fear it plans to. The White House did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

The announcement - released after a volley of phone calls between Macron and leaders on both sides of the Atlantic - comes after a week of heightened tensions spurred by Russia's military buildup up and down the Ukrainian border.

^{PHOTO: SCREENSHOTS OF STATEMENT ON FRENCH PRESIDENCY WEBSITE / FILE OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN AND U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN}