– But we must avoid humiliating Russia – Dagsavisen

The French president believes the West must still do everything to keep the door open for diplomatic solutions with Russia, writes media that Politico, Business Insider and The Guardian.

“We must avoid humiliating Russia, so that together we can find a way forward when the fighting (in Ukraine) ends,” Macron said, according to Politico.

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Think he can lead conversations

He calls the invasion of Ukraine a historic mistake by the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but still believes in a diplomatic solution sometime in the future. And France will play a crucial role when that happens, the French president believes. Macron claims according to German German wave he will be a natural leader and mediator of such diplomatic talks.

– I mean – and I have told him (Putin, journ. Note) – that he has made a historical and fundamental mistake. Both to his own people, but also to himself, says Macron, according to Politico.

He believes Russia’s president has isolated himself with his actions against Ukraine.

– Finding security in isolation is one thing, but finding a way out of it is something completely different, says Macron, who according to The Guardian has had talks “for a total of hundreds of hours” with Putin so far this year.

[ Hevder Putin har «en messiansk tro på seg selv»: – Så at han ville bli en trussel ]

Ukraine snorts at the plot

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is shocked by Macron’s message that the West should not humiliate Russia.

– Such statements will only humiliate France and any other country that has a similar message. The fact is that Russia is humiliating itself. We must rather focus on how we can put Russia in place. That will ensure peace and save lives, Kuleba claims, according to Politico.

Kuleba has previously expressed a desire to get Macron to Ukraine before France’s presidency of the EU expires on June 30, according to NTB. Kuleba told Politico that he “does not rule out the possibility” of a Macron visit.

[ Ekspert: Slik kan Putin bli fjernet som president ]

[ Putin ba Vesten slutte å gi Ukraina våpen i telefonsamtale med Macron ]

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