Russia's Putin to France's Macron: if Ukraine “disarmament” can't be agreed diplomatically offensive continues

Joel Frank Independent Analyst

Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday that if Ukraine's neutralisation and disarmament cannot be agreed upon diplomatically, he will continue military operations in the country, reported Reuters citing a French official. Putin told Macron that he was fighting against a "neo-Nazi" regime and denied that he was hitting civilians in Ukraine or that he was bombing Kyiv.

Macron told Putin that he was making a "major mistake" about Ukraine and its President. He told Putin that Ukraine was not a Nazi regime and that Putin was deluding himself and not describing reality. What you are doing will cost your country dearly, Macron told Putin, with Russia to be isolated, weakened and under sanctions for a very long period.

The French official told Reuters that there was nothing reassuring in what Putin told Macron, with Putin showing his determination to carry on with operations in Ukraine. The official said that Macron then spoke to Ukraine's Zelenskyy, who told him Ukraine will not surrender and that negotiations can't be held with a gun to his head.

Author

Joel Frank

Independent Analyst

Joel Frank is an economics graduate from the University of Birmingham and has worked as a full-time financial market analyst since 2018, specialising in the coverage of how developments in the global economy impact financial asset

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