File photo: VCG

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed on Sunday to convene a Normandy format meeting to make progress to stop hostilities in eastern Ukraine after detainees swap between Moscow and Kiev raised hope to end the year-long conflict, according to a press release issued by Macron's office.

During a phone conversation, Macron and Putin "confirmed that the current dynamics would bring together, in the next few weeks, a summit of the Normandy format in Paris, to make progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreement," the Elysee said.

Macron also praised the exchange of dozens of detainees between Russia and Ukraine on Saturday, it added.

The Normandy format refers to talks among leaders from Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine to resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine in accordance with the peace agreement reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus in 2015.