The French President recently exchanged views with Putin.
(Photo: imago images/SNA)
Paris It was only on Monday that Emmanuel Macron spoke with Vladimir Putin for more than five hours during a visit to Moscow about the Ukraine crisis. On Saturday, the Presidents of France and Russia phoned each other again for 100 minutes. Macron continues to hope for a political solution, but apparently also made a clear announcement to the Kremlin boss in the conversation.
After the phone call, Élysée sources said the French President had informed Putin that he “will react with determination if there is a military operation in Ukraine”. During the conversation, Macron did not have the impression that Moscow had already made a decision about military action. This is another reason why he sees further opportunities for diplomatic efforts. But one is “extremely vigilant” with regard to the Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Friday that a Russian invasion could begin at any time. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made it clear that the US believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible before the end of the February 20 Winter Olympics in China. Russia’s embassy in the United States dismissed American warnings of an attack on Ukraine as unfounded.
After the phone call between Putin and Macron, the Kremlin announced that the two presidents had discussed “the provocative speculation regarding an alleged ‘Russian invasion’ of Ukraine.” It was also about Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, which could be suitable for an attack by Ukraine on Donbass. The region of eastern Ukraine is controlled by pro-Russian separatists backed by Moscow.
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The Elysee Palace’s official statement on the call said that Macron and Putin discussed the implementation of the Minsk peace plan for Donbass and “the conditions for security and stability in Europe.” Both said they “willed to continue the dialogue Macron conveyed to Putin the “concerns of European partners and their allies”. He also told the Russian leader that “honest dialogue is not compatible with escalation”.
More on the Ukraine crisis:
After the meeting between Macron and Putin on Monday, there was confusion about possible concessions from the Russian side. Those close to the French President said that Putin had agreed to refrain from new maneuvers on the border with Ukraine until further notice. The Kremlin immediately denied that such commitments had been made.
Following the phone call with Putin, Macron exchanged views with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Saturday. The Élysée highlighted the “close coordination” between Berlin and Paris ahead of Scholz’s planned visit to Moscow on Tuesday. The positions of Germany and France are “perfectly aligned”.
According to Élysée, Macron also called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy late Saturday afternoon. The French head of state vowed Selenski to “keep a cool head in a particularly volatile environment”. Macron once again made it clear that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should not be violated.
More: Russia puts a “pincer grip” on Ukraine – “Everything indicates that something is going to happen now”