French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the US to direct its anger at the Russian president and said the only thing that needs to be done to achieve peace is for Vladimir Putin to stop lying.
“The only thing that needs to be done – one thing and one thing only: I repeated this to President Trump, with whom I had a conversation two days ago tonight – the only thing that needs to be done is for President Putin to finally stop lying,” Macron said during a visit to Madagascar. His words were quoted by French news agency AFP.
“When President Putin speaks to US negotiators, he says, ‘I want peace.’ When he addresses the whole world, he says, ‘I want peace.’ But he keeps bombing Ukraine! He continues to take life in Ukraine!” the French president continued, commenting on Russia’s strike on Kiev on 24 April, the day after the peace talks in London.
“There is only one answer we are waiting for. Does President Putin agree to an unconditional ceasefire? The Americans have proposed it, the Europeans support it. President Zelensky has said yes. If President Putin says yes – the guns will be silenced tomorrow, lives will be saved,” Macron said.
He added that the annoyance of the United States should be directed “at only one person – President Putin” and reiterated that France’s position on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is “unchanged and will remain so.”
“We will continue to defend the right of the Ukrainian people to live in peace on its territory and within its internationally recognised borders,” the French president said.