In a Sunday interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said French President Emmanuel Macron was wasting time talking to Moscow.
Zelenskiy, interviewed by Corriere Sera, responded to Macron’s notion that Russia should be “defeated but not crushed” and that Ukraine’s crisis should be resolved via diplomacy.
Sunday’s call between presidents.
He denied that Western sanctions isolated Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The war decision marginalized Putin,”
He said.
Macron called for further military aid to Ukraine on Friday.
In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche, he claimed he did not believe in regime change, that there was no hope of a democratic solution from Russian civil society, and no option to bring Putin back to the negotiation table.
“A pointless conversation. Macron wastes time. I believe we cannot modify Russian attitudes “Zelenskiy told Italian daily.
“We cannot stop them from isolating themselves to restore the Soviet empire. They decide whether to respect the international community.”
Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, reminded France of Napoleon Bonaparte’s loss in Russia.
Several NATO members have criticized Macron for sending contradictory messages on the Ukraine-Russia confrontation.
Zelenskiy should have mentioned Macron’s new views when recalling their Sunday discussion. Instead, the leaders addressed plans, including Zelenskiy’s call for collaborative choices before Russia’s invasion’s first anniversary.
Zelenskiy said the French president’s harder stance on Moscow in recent months indicated a substantial change before a quick visit to Paris this month.
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