French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that using the word "genocide" with regard to Russia's action in Ukraine would amount to verbal escalation that would complicate his efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.

"Words have a meaning and it is necessary to be careful because my role is to help bring peace or at least to stop this war," Macron said in an interview with France Bleu radio, adding that he wanted to avoid verbal escalation.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it categorically disagreed with U.S. President Joe Biden's description of Russia's actions in Ukraine as "genocide."