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In a television interview he gave on Wednesday evening to France 2, French President Emmanuel Macron said on the war in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin “should stop this war… and return to the negotiating table,” stressing that he does not want a “global war.” Macron also pledged to provide Kyiv with anti-aircraft defense systems “to protect (Ukrainians) from attacks, and in particular to protect them from drone attacks.”
French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a television interview on Wednesday evening, a large part of which was devoted to the war in Ukraine, that… Russian President Vladimir Putin “Back to the table” negotiating.
“Today, first of all, Putin must stop this war, respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and return to the negotiating table,” Macron said on France 2, stressing that he did not want a “world war.”
In the same context, Macron said that France would provide Ukraine with anti-aircraft defense systems. “We will provide radars, (anti-aircraft) missile systems to protect (Ukrainians) from attacks, and especially to protect them from drone attacks,” he said. The French president reiterated that his country intends to hand over more “Caesar” cannons to Ukraine.
He continued, “We have delivered 18” guns since the start of the war. “We are working to deliver six additional cannons with Denmark,” explaining that the aforementioned cannons were originally intended for the Danish army. “We are trying to hand it over to the Ukrainians immediately,” he added.
Kyiv asked its allies to help it strengthen its air defense, two days after heavy Russian bombardment targeted the Ukrainian capital, leaving dozens of civilian casualties and destroying infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked to create a “shield” for air defense over his country.
Asked if he would support Ukraine’s offensive to retake Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 in a move not recognized internationally, Macron said that “at some point as the conflict develops” both Russia and Ukraine should “return to the table”. “The question is whether the goals of the war will be achieved only by military means,” he said, although “it is up to the Ukrainians to decide” what those goals should be.
When reminded that Ukraine had announced that it no longer wanted to negotiate with Putin, Macron replied: “I tell you that at some point… it will be necessary. That is why I always reject extremist positions.” The French president considered that the war had entered an “unprecedented stage” since the end of the week because “for the first time civilians were killed throughout Ukraine… and electricity and heating facilities were destroyed.”
“The goal of the Russians in the past few days is to break and destroy the Ukrainian resistance,” he added. But he acknowledged that France “is unable to provide everything the Ukrainians demand. We are forced to keep some to protect ourselves and our eastern flank (from NATO).”
FRANCE 24/AFP