"Today, first, Vladimir Putin must end this war", urged Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday October 12 during a television interview largely devoted to the war in Ukraine and its consequences for the French, on France 2. The president Russian must "respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and return to the discussion table", continued the French president, reproaching his Russian counterpart for having made the "choice" to "install" Europe " in the war" with its missile strikes of the last days and the mobilization to reinforce its army.

The one who, despite criticism – including Ukrainians – has never broken off the dialogue with the master of the Kremlin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24 assured that he would continue to speak to him “every time it will be necessary".

“At some point, I hope as soon as possible, all the stakeholders will have to come back to a table of discussions,” he added, while acknowledging that it will not be in the “next weeks” .

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I answer Caroline Roux's questions in #LÉvénement on France 2: https://t.co/ckT1L6Cj4w

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 12, 2022

Warning to 

Alexander Lukashenko

President Macron insisted that a negotiation would ultimately also be in the "interests" of kyiv, and promised new weapons, namely air defense systems.

He also sent a warning to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, one of the main allies of the Russians, assuring that he would have "problems" if he engages even more in the conflict.

Emmanuel Macron also considered that it was necessary "to avoid any escalation of the conflict", so that it does not extend to a country neighboring Ukraine and to prevent the use by Moscow of chemical or nuclear weapons.

But the head of state, who promised to "tell the truth" to the French about the implications of the conflict, preferred to kick the nuclear threat agitated by the master of the Kremlin, recalling only that France was also a country "equipped" with the atomic bomb and believed in "deterrence".

"The less we talk about it", the more credible it is, he slipped in substance.

In Iran, protesters "carry the universalism of our values"

The president also mentioned the Iranian file.

France condemns the repression carried out by the Iranian regime, he assured.

The protesters in Iran "carry the universalism of our values", considered Emmanuel Macron.

"We stand with those who are fighting," he added.

Clashes have erupted every day in Iran between demonstrators and security forces since the death in custody of young Mahsa Amini provoked an immense wave of anger there.

Challenged as it has not been since the 1979 Islamic Revolution – with protesters calling for the downfall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – the regime has reacted as it does whenever challenged: by repression.

According to human rights organisations, nearly 200 people, including around 20 children, have been killed by the security forces since the first demonstrations on 17 September, the day after the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for wearing of an illegal veil.

Hundreds more were injured and thousands arrested.

Taking a detour through domestic politics, the Head of State has planned a return to normal "in the course of next week" on the fuel front, while the French are facing growing difficulties in supplying because of the refinery strikes.

Scratching in passing the CGT, which must "allow the country to function".

With AFP and Reuters

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