Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had a lengthy telephone conversation, with focus on providing Russia with long-term, legally secured security guarantees, the Kremlin said in a statement on Friday.

The United States' and NATO's responses to Russian proposals on security did not address Moscow's principal concerns, read the statement.

"The U.S. and NATO responses did not take into account Russia's fundamental concerns including preventing NATO's expansion and refusing to deploy strike weapons systems near Russia's borders," it said.

The Elysee Palace on Wednesday hailed as a "positive signal" talks in Paris between Russia and Ukraine, as well as France and Germany, which produced the first joint written statement on the conflict in eastern Ukraine which was signed by Moscow and Kiev since 2019.

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Russia earlier sent its strongest signal so far that it is willing to engage with U.S. security proposals and reiterated that it does not want a war over Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin would closely study the proposals and then decide on further action.

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Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that the alliance was ready to increase its troop presence in eastern Europe and was watching very closely as Russia moves soldiers and weapons in Belarus. 

"From the NATO side we are ready to engage in political dialogue. But we're also ready to respond if Russia chooses an armed conflict confrontation," Stoltenberg said.

(With input from agencies)