French President calls on his Russian counterpart to cease fire in Ukraine in their first talks since 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine “as soon as possible,” in their first phone call since 2022, the Elysee Palace revealed.
Macron stressed “France’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called for the establishment of a ceasefire as soon as possible and the launch of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to reach a permanent and durable settlement to the conflict”.
From their part, the Kremlin confirmed the call, but noted that Putin held the West responsible for the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing that any peace agreement must be “long-term”.
According to the French presidency, the call lasted more than two hours, during which the two presidents agreed to “continue contacts” regarding Ukraine and Iran.
The Kremlin statement said that Putin “reminded Macron that the Ukrainian conflict is a direct result of the policies of Western countries,” considering that Western countries “have long ignored Russia’s security interests and, created an anti-Russian foothold in Ukraine”.
According to the Kremlin, Putin told Macron that any peace agreement must be comprehensive and long-term, address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, and be based on new realities on the ground.
