Ukraine: Macron spoke to Putin, who pledged to preserve civilians

Europe 1 with AFP 4:42 p.m., February 28, 2022

Emmanuel Macron exchanged Monday for 1h30 with Vladimir Putin, asking him to stop the strikes against civilians and to secure the main roads in Ukraine, points on which the Russian president "confirmed his willingness to engage", has announced the Elysée.

The French president called Vladimir Putin "at the request" of his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, with whom he spoke "several times in recent hours", added the presidency.

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“A halt to all strikes against civilians”

During the interview with Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron "reiterated the request of the international community to cease the Russian offensive against Ukraine, and reaffirmed the need to implement an immediate ceasefire", according to the Élysée, on the fifth day of the offensive launched by the Russian army.

"As discussions begin between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations" on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, he asked "for respect on the ground: a halt to all strikes and attacks against civilians and places of residence, a preservation of all civil infrastructure, securing of roads, in particular the road south of Kiev".

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Second exchange between Putin and Macron

"President Putin has confirmed his willingness to commit to these three points", according to the French presidency.

Emmanuel Macron also called for "respect for international humanitarian law and the protection of civilian populations as well as the delivery of aid, in accordance with the resolution brought by France to the UN Security Council".

This exchange is the second between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Poutine since the beginning, on February 24, of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

They had already spoken Thursday, before an exceptional summit of the European Union in Brussels.

During the exchange with Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron "once again praised the sense of responsibility of the Ukrainian president in the perspective of the negotiations which are beginning and even though Ukraine is being attacked by Russia", underlines the Elysée in his statement.