"Fundamentally, these deliveries cannot and will not change anything... (they) can only prolong the suffering of the Ukrainian people," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question on France's decision last week to send armoured vehicles to Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron last week pledged to send light tanks to Kyiv.

The move to supply the French-made AMX-10 RC to Ukraine, a light model in service since the 1980s, would make France the first Western country to send tanks to Ukraine.

The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin and Macron remain in contact.

Peskov said the leaders being in touch has been "very useful, despite deep differences."

After Macron committed to send tanks to Kyiv, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also faced renewed calls to send tanks to Kyiv.