French President Emmanuel Macron has talked with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone for the first time in about a month.

The French presidential office said Macron expressed deep concern about Mariupol and the situation in eastern Ukraine during the phone call on Tuesday.

The Elysee Palace also said Macron urged Russia to allow the evacuation of civilians from a besieged Mariupol steel plant to continue.

Macron's office added that the French president also called on Russia to live up to its responsibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday that despite Kiev’s unpreparedness for serious work Russia remained open to a dialogue, the Kremlin’s press service has said.

Russia's presidential office said Putin noted EU member countries are ignoring shelling by Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine that have resulted in civilian casualties.

The Kremlin also said Putin told his French counterpart that the West could help stop these "atrocities" by stopping arms deliveries to Ukraine.