Elysee: Macron and Putin agree on tripartite talks "in the coming hours" for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine

London, United Kingdom (CNN) - French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed, Sunday, to "work intensively to enable the meeting of the tripartite contact group scheduled for the next few hours," the Elysee Palace said in a reading of the call between them Sunday.

The Elysee Palace said that the aim of the meeting would be "to obtain a commitment from all parties to a ceasefire on the line of contact."

The Tripartite Contact Group brings together representatives from Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

According to the statement, the two leaders agreed on the need to "give priority to a diplomatic solution to the current crisis and to do everything possible to achieve this."

The French presidency said that "intensive diplomatic work" would be carried out "in the coming days and weeks", with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov meeting soon.

A source from the Elysee said that the two leaders "noted differences in the interpretation of the reasons for the deadlock" in the negotiations on the Ukraine crisis.

He noted that "Mr. Putin blamed the deadlock in the negotiations on Ukraine, while the President of the Republic reminded him that Ukraine will not negotiate directly with the separatists."

The Elysee Palace said that diplomatic action "must make it possible to progress on the basis of the latest consultations through the involvement of all stakeholders", in order to reach "a meeting at the highest level with the aim of defining a new peace and security order in Europe."

He added that Macron and Putin had made "strict commitments to take all beneficial measures to avoid escalation, reduce risks and preserve peace" to do this work "under dangerous conditions."

According to the French presidency, Putin confirmed to Macron his intention to withdraw Russian forces from Belarus "at the end of the ongoing military exercises" in the country.

After speaking with Putin, Macron had a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which Zelensky confirmed his "determination not to respond to provocations and to respect the ceasefire," according to the Elysee Palace.

A source at the Elysee Palace said that "Zelensky said that he would not respond to the fire of the separatists," adding that the initiative came from the Ukrainian president, and that he was "determined to prevent escalation."