France's Macron says "not excluding anything" about additional EU sanctions against Russia going forward

French President Emmanuel Macron said that following a sixth European Union package of sanctions against Russia nothing could be ruled out in terms of additional sanctions in the coming weeks.

Speaking to reporters following an EU summit in Brussels, he also said he hoped that in the next days and weeks an agreement with Russia could be found for Ukrainian food exports, saying that recent talks between the Russian and Turkish presidents on the matter were a "positive sign".

He said recent talks on the matter between the Russian and Turkish presidents had produced "positive conclusions".

"I hope that the next few days or weeks will make it possible to resolve this situation," Macron added.

During his last conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Macron said he had made an offer to offered to Putin to draft a U.N. Security Council resolution providing a framework for the release of grain from Ukraine's blocked seaports.

"Security guarantees must be given to the Ukrainians so their ships are not attacked," Macron said. "We are now waiting for a reply from Russia on this point and are liaising with the U.N. secretary general."