"We will protect those who arrive on our soil", affirmed the head of state while visiting, as president and not as presidential candidate, the reception center of La Pommeraye (Maine-et-Loire), near Angers, managed by the France Horizon association.

He assured of "the mobilization of the entire nation" in the face of some of the 63 Ukrainians, including around twenty children, who arrived there on Friday evening, several days after fleeing the Russian bombardments and taking the road to exile, via Poland and Germany.

In tears, a six-year-old boy tells him that his father stayed in kyiv to "wage war" and that he hasn't heard from him.

"Your father is fighting for your country to be free and we are going to do everything to stop this war", answers Emmanuel Macron before hugging him.

"Marioupol is hell," says Irina, a woman who arrived with her four-year-old daughter Maya, referring to the siege suffered by this eastern city, now without water or electricity, where food is lacking.

In a calm but firm voice, this woman whose husband remained in Ukraine calls out to Emmanuel Macron: "all of Ukraine asks you to install a no-fly zone" to avoid bombardments from Russian planes.

"It's a disaster, every day that passes is the death of children".

"It's useless to discuss with Putin", she tells him, while the head of state is one of the rare leaders to exchange with the Russian president.

"Putin won't stop"

At the exit, Emmanuel Macron says he understands this request but justifies his attitude.

“I continue to believe that there is a utility to this work, and therefore I will continue it”, he explains to the press.

By arguing that these exchanges can "avoid" that the situation worsens "even more" for civilians.

And that they can also help to "prepare", "as soon as the opportunity is there", "the resumption of a negotiated exit" from the conflict.

Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin (left) and Citizenship Minister Marlène Schiappa (right) during a visit to a Ukrainian refugee camp in La Pommeraye (Maine-et-Loire) March 15, 2022 Yoan VALAT, Yoan VALAT POOL/AFP

But Irina, like other refugees, does not believe it.

"Putin won't stop there," she said.

With the exception of an elderly man who is going to join his daughter living in Toulouse, the refugees welcomed in La Pommeraye have no links with France.

Like the other associations involved with State services, France Horizon is therefore working so that, "quickly", they can create a new life, even temporary, with accommodation, French lessons, a search for training or employment, schooling of children.

Some 15,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the country in recent days, according to Joseph Zimet, the prefect who heads the crisis unit for receiving Ukrainian refugees.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, also present in La Pommeraye, assured Monday that France was able to accommodate up to 100,000, or even more.

France is however far from being the country most concerned, most of them being hosted in neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary or Moldova.

Brigitte Macron, moved to tears after a visit by Ukrainian children to a school in Epinay-sur-Seine, told the press that she was going to speak with the first Polish lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda on Tuesday evening in video to to "welcome more children" in France.

Brigitte Macron meets children of Ukrainian refugees in a school in Epinay-sur-Seine north of Paris, March 15, 2022 Thomas SAMSON POOL / AFP

The milestone of three million refugees was crossed on Tuesday, including about 1.4 million children.

That's about 55 per minute or "virtually one child per second," said James Elder, a spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"It's going to be fine," Emmanuel Macron tries, seeking to reassure a 15-year-old teenager, who kills time in the common room of the center.

"I hope so," breathes the boy, keeping his eyes downcast.

© 2022 AFP