Moscow’s accusations of violations of humanitarian law by Ukraine are “lies”, denounces Paris
When Vladimir Putin denounces “gross violations” of humanitarian law by the Ukrainian forces, these are ” lies “reacted the Elysée Palace following a new discussion on Saturday between the Russian President, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
Prior to this call, Messrs. Macron and Scholz had each met with Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky, who asked them to intervene with Mr. Putin to stop the fighting immediately. Mr. Zelensky also asked them to help him to free the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Melitopol, kidnapped the day before by the Russians according to Kiev.
In the strategic port city of Mariupol, devastated by nearly two weeks of siege, “The situation is very difficult, humanly unsustainable”and the “The only decision President Putin has to make is to lift the siege”, has also declared the Elysée. Emmanuel Macron told the Russian President that “the abuses of the Russian army must stop”.
At the end of this conversation, described as “very frank and difficult” in one “dramatic moment”French President “is determined to use all the resources of diplomacy, namely the very demanding dialogue” with Vladimir Putin, but also the sanctions, “which are historical in nature” with “a banishment” of Russia, according to the presidency.
“We are putting maximum pressure and we will not let up”, added the French presidency. Regarding the threat of possible use of chemical weapons in Ukraine by Moscow, she stressed that Emmanuel Macron’s demand was “very strong so that the conflict ends as soon as possible in order to avoid the worst, including the use of illicit weapons or the destruction of cities”.
Paris repeated that new sanctions were going to be examined ” without taboo “as Emmanuel Macron declared on Friday when closing the European summit in Versailles, where the Twenty-Seven agreed to double funding for arms to Ukraine.