Volodymyr Zelensky expressed to Emmanuel Macron his doubts about the interest of speaking to Vladimir Putin, on the 113 day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday that he doubted the value of talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine.
“I’m not sure there’s a possibility that the president of the Russian Federation is ready to hear anything,” Zelensky told a news conference in Kyiv alongside European leaders. .
“It seems that right now he (Vladimir Poutine, editor’s note) is making decisions and then he’s talking to someone (…). It’s not just about Emmanuel (Macron, editor’s note), I’m not sure there are leaders in the world today who could force Russia individually to stop the war,” Zelensky added.
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The Ukrainian president was responding to a question from a journalist who asked him about the wave of criticism, particularly in Ukraine, caused by recent remarks by Mr. Macron who had called for “not to humiliate Russia”.
Very involved in the Ukrainian crisis, Mr. Macron is one of the rare leaders to exchange regularly with the master of the Kremlin – which arouses misunderstanding in Eastern Europe – and to make the link with the President Zelensky.
“Ask for clarity”
Thursday, the French president indicated that he did not exclude again to exchange with his Russian counterpart if necessary.
“On food security issues, we also need to exchange with Russia to try to obtain progress,” said Mr. Macron.
“When windows of opportunity open, pushing for talks to resume is useful,” he added, referring to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and insisting that the war must end.
“But as I have always said there too and I repeat it to you and I said it a while ago, the modalities will only be decided by Ukraine and its representatives, and in this case your president” , underlined Mr. Macron.
“Germany, like France, will never be in a position to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine with Russia, that is also never what we have done, neither to grant a few concessions, nor to negotiate a few concessions is to ask for clarity,” Macron said.