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French President Emmanuel Macron, before meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, said that he managed to agree with Russian President Vladimir Putin that there would be no escalation of the conflict around Ukraine. About this, according to BBC News, he told reporters at the airport in Kiev.
Macron admitted that the tension during the conversation was palpable, but his realistic views on Putin’s flexibility on the Ukrainian issue and the desire to “stop the game” made it possible to agree that there would be no deterioration or escalation. The leaders of the two countries talked for five hours.
Macron also added that both Ukraine and Russia remain committed to the implementation of the Minsk agreements signed in February 2015.
“Today, this is the only way that will allow us to move towards a sustainable world,” Macron said.
For his part, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky called Macron a “good friend” and in his Twitter stated that the country is interested in deepening cooperation with France in the field of security and economy.
Earlier, The Financial Times reported that the presidents of Russia and France “made a deal” to reduce tensions around Ukraine by withdrawing Russian troops from Belarus after the end of joint exercises with Minsk. It is alleged that upon completion of the maneuvers, 30,000 Russian troops will leave Belarus. According to the publication, Putin and Macron agreed that Russia would not undertake new “military initiatives.” In addition, Moscow agreed to participate in a dialogue regarding the deployment of its own armed forces, RBC notes.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, in turn, said that “The Financial Times, of course, wrote incorrectly.” According to him, Moscow and Paris could not conclude any deals, since France is not the leader of NATO.
Recall that in November-December 2021, the world media was filled with the topic of the alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that should follow. According to experts, a sign of “invasion” is the concentration of Russian military equipment in the regions bordering Ukraine. Among the likely sanctions were both the shutdown of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and restrictions against Russian energy companies, as well as the shutdown of the SWIFT international interbank settlement system.
Source: Rosbalt
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
