Macron’s office confirms that the president spoke to Vladimir Putin on the phone on Friday. While Macron expressed concern about the situation in the Ukrainian port city, which has been under Russian siege for several weeks, Putin directed accusations against Ukraine.
“Attention was drawn to the numerous war crimes committed daily by Ukrainian security forces,” the Kremlin said of the conversation.
– Especially massive rocket and artillery attacks on the cities in the Donbas, it is further stated.
The Donbas are controlled by pro-Russian forces and have a predominantly Russian-speaking population.
HERE YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE.
Do everything
Putin further claimed that Russia is doing everything it can to avoid civilian casualties in Ukraine, including by organizing so-called humanitarian corridors for evacuation.
Macron and Putin also discussed the ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the war, which the Kremlin described as a “French initiative”.
Macron has played a leading role in trying to alleviate the crisis through diplomacy. He has both met Putin in person in Moscow, and talked to him on the phone a dozen times since the conflict began.
Friday’s conversation lasted about 70 minutes, and Macron expressed “extreme concern” over Mariupol’s fate. The city has in recent days been the subject of intense bombardment.
The French president called for the siege to be lifted and for humanitarian access to the city, Macron’s office said. He also requested that “concrete and verifiable measures” be introduced to ensure that the city’s population is safe.
Macron also again demanded “immediate respect for a ceasefire”, according to the presidential palace in Paris.
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Accuses Russia of false allegations
Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt accuses Russia of spreading false allegations about biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine.
– Biological weapons are classified as weapons of mass destruction. All use of biological weapons is prohibited and something Norway strongly condemns. There is no indication that Ukraine is developing such weapons. On the other hand, most indications are that Russia, by promoting such accusations, is trying to expand its own room for maneuver in the war, says Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor).
This was also Norway’s clear message in the UN Security Council on Friday, she adds.
Russia had requested the meeting to discuss allegations that Ukraine is developing biological weapons, but did not win a hearing in the Security Council’s other member states.
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The United States, France, Britain, Ireland, Albania and Norway instead issued a joint statement accusing Russia of using the Security Council to spread conspiracy theories.
“Russia is once again trying to use the advice to spread disinformation and propaganda and to justify its unprovoked and brutal attack on Ukraine,” said US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield as she read out the statement.
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The United States maintained during Friday’s meeting that there was no evidence that Ukraine had a biological weapons program, but warned that Russia could use such weapons in the war.
“We still believe that it is possible that Russia is planning to use biological weapons against the Ukrainian people,” said Thomas Greenfield.
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