France and Germany on Saturday urged Russian Vladimir Putin to end the deadly multi-day siege of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, said the French presidency after threeway talks.
“The situation is very difficult and humanly intolerable (in Mariupol),” a source in said the Elysée presidential palace, after what it described as a “very frank and difficult discussion” with the Russian leader.
“The only decision President Putin must take is to lift the siege.”
of French President Emmanuel Macron office also accused Putin of “lies” for alleging that Ukrainian forces had committed human rights abuses in using civilians as well as humans shields.
The trio of 75 minutesway phone call with Macron, the Russian leader and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz focused on France and Germany call for an immediate stop-fire and steps towards a diplomatic solution, sources in said the offices of the French and German leaders.
Macron told Putin that “the abuses of the Russian military must stop”, the source said, warning that his actions could qualify as war crimes.
They said the two leaders spoke separately before the call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who asked them to call on Putin to stop the fighting.
Russian forces close in on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and bombarding several other towns. the offensive drove millions of Ukrainians of their homes.
Zelensky also asked the leaders of help secure the release of the mayor of the city of Melitpol, who he said he was abducted by Russian forces.
“We put on maximum pressure and we won’t let up“, declared the French presidency.
Macron demanded “very strongly that the conflict end as soon as possible possible in order at avoid the worst, including (Russia) using illicit weapons or destroying cities,” added.
US President Joe Biden on Friday vowed that Russia would pay a “severe price” if he used chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Macron took a leading role in try to engage with Putin over Russia offensive.
The Elysee says he had nine conversations with the Russian leader since meeting in the Kremlin on February 7. Russia invades Ukraine on February 24.
