Johnson spoke to Macron over the phone on Sunday.
"The Prime Minister noted that President Putin’s commitments to President Macron were a welcome sign that he might still be willing to engage in finding a diplomatic solution. The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine’s voice must be central in any discussions," Downing Street said in a Sunday night statement after the call.
According to the British government, Macron and Johnson agreed that Ukraine needs to follow through on its commitments under the Minsk peace deal.
"They also underscored the need for President Putin to step back from his current threats and withdraw troops from Ukraine’s border," Downing Street said.
Earlier on Sunday, Putin and Macron held phone talks at the French side's initiative. The presidents agreed on trilateral group (Russia, Ukraine, OSCE - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) talks on Ukraine to be held on Monday, according to media reports. The Russian president also reportedly confirmed to Macron the intention to withdraw troops from Belarus after the joint military exercise is over.