Differing with U.S., Macron stands by Minsk accords to resolve Ukraine crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron meets with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he saw no better way of negotiating an end to the conflict in Ukraine than through the Minsk agreements, sharply differing with comments by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson said on June 14 that the Trump administration did not wish to be "handcuffed" by the 2015 accords, brokered in the Belarussian capital by France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine, and he suggested Kiev could reach a separate, independent agreement with Moscow.