Macron shares concerns about Mariupol in telephone conversation with Putin
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his concern about the situation in Mariupol in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday. That city in the south of Ukraine has been besieged and shelled by Russian troops for weeks.
Macron also called on the Russian president to commit to an immediate ceasefire and “concrete and verifiable” steps to lift the city’s siege and facilitate humanitarian aid, the Elysée said. In addition, Macron spoke about the overall situation in Ukraine, which he said is deteriorating due to continued attacks on civilians and non-compliance with human rights. He also spoke about the so far failed negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, the initiative for the talk came from Macron. The two presidents have spoken several times recently. Putin assured Macron that the Russian armed forces would do everything they could “to save the lives of civilians,” the Kremlin said. Putin is also said to have drawn attention to war crimes committed by “nationalist Ukrainians” in Ukraine in the conversation.