The Russian president spoke this Saturday by telephone with Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron. Western leaders have urged the Kremlin chief to enter into “direct and serious negotiations” with Volodimir Zelensky
Thursday photo of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in a video conference in Moscow May 26, 2022. Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced on Saturday the “danger” posed by arms deliveries from Western countries to Ukraine and threatened future “destabilization”, in a conversation with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
“The Russian president emphasized the danger of continuing to flood the Ukraine from Western weapons and warned of the risk of a further destabilization of the situation and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
Scholz and Macron urged Putin to enter into “direct and serious negotiations” with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.
In a three-way phone conversation that lasted 80 minutes, the Two European leaders “insisted on an immediate ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian troops,” the German government said in a statement.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz , and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a news conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on May 9, 2022. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi
Both “urged the Russian president to direct and serious negotiations with the Ukrainian president and a diplomatic solution to the conflict”.
The conversation was held at the request of Macron and Scholz, according to the German government, and was focused on “the continuation of the Russian war against Ukraine and the efforts to end it.”
The German chancellor and the French president also “asked the Russian president to improve the humanitarian situation of the civilian population”.
The two Western leaders “took positive note of the Russian president’s commitment to treat captured fighters in accordance with international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Convention, and to ensure unhindered access to the International Committee of the Red Cross.” .
Tanks of pro-Russian troops advance along the town of Popasna, in the Luganss region, Ukraine. May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko
“The world food situation, particularly tense due to the war”, was also addressed during the debate.
< p class=”paragraph”>“President Putin assured that he wants allow the export of cereals from Ukraine, especially by sea,” says the Foreign Ministry.
The Russian president promised “so that Russia does not take advantage of the opening of the belt of mines established to protect Ukrainian ports, in order to allow the export of grain by ship, to carry out offensive actions”, assures the German chancellery, noting that the three leaders agreed on the “central role” that the United Nations must play in guaranteeing exports.
Russia and Ukraine they account for nearly a third of the world’s wheat supply. Russia is also a key exporter of fertilizers globally, while Ukraine is a major exporter of corn and sunflower oil.
FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows a tractor spreading fertilizer on a wheat field near the village of Yakovlivka after it was hit by an aerial bombardment on the outskirts of Kharkov, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
“Russia is ready to help find unhindered grain export options, including Ukrainian grain export from Black Sea ports,” the Kremlin said.
Ukraine and Western countries have accused Russia of instrumentalizing the food crisis created by its invasion of Ukraine, which has pushed up the prices of grain, cooking oil, fuel and fertilizers.
Macron and Scholz took the opportunity to ask Putin to release the 2,500 Ukrainian fighters who barricaded themselves in the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol (south) , and were taken prisoner by the Russians.
“The President of the Republic and the German Chancellor called for the release of the 2,500 Azovstal defenders taken prisoner by the Russian forces” indicated the presidency French at the end of the telephone conversation.
(With i information from EFE, Reuters and AFP)