French President Macron has called his Russian counterpart Putin about the situation in eastern Ukraine. That conversation lasted an hour and three quarters of an hour.
Both countries report that in the conversation Macron and Putin failed to agree on who is responsible for the increased tension in eastern Ukraine. Macron blames the Russian-backed separatists and Putin blames Ukrainian security forces.
Putin also criticized the West’s military support for Ukraine in the conversation. He also reiterated that NATO must take Russia’s requirements for security guarantees seriously and respond to them in a concrete and to the point.
In the telephone conversation, the presidents emphasized the need to continue to look for diplomatic solutions to the crisis in eastern Ukraine. According to France, they have agreed that there will be a meeting tomorrow between Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). This has not been confirmed from the Russian side.
A telephone call is also scheduled for tomorrow between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and his French counterpart Le Drian.
Military exercises not ended
Meanwhile, Russia’s and Belarus’ military exercises on Ukraine’s northern border are still ongoing. The exercise was expected to end today and the troops to leave, but Russia has decided that the troops will stay longer due to heightened tensions in eastern Ukraine.
In recent days, the situation in that region has deteriorated, especially along the frontline in southeastern Ukraine. Fighting was reported this weekend by both the Ukrainian government military and the Russian-backed separatists. Two deaths would be reported on both sides.
Today there were again reports of military aggression. International news agencies speak of hundreds of artillery shells fired at the front line.
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