Macron has sought to maintain a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday rebuked French President Emmanuel Macron for saying it was important not to “humiliate Russia” for post-war diplomatic efforts. Kuleba said such calls “can only humiliate France”, asking countries to rather focus on “how to put Russia in its place”.
Macron has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin regularly since the invasion of Ukraine as part of ceasefire efforts and to begin a credible negotiation between Kyiv and Moscow. With no tangible success to show for it, the French president’s stance on Russia has also been repeatedly criticised by some eastern and Baltic partners in Europe.
In an interview with regional newspapers, Macron stressed that “we must not humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means.”
He said he was “convinced that it is France’s role to be a mediating power.”
Responding to Macron’s remark, Kuleba wrote on Twitter: “Calls to avoid humiliation of Russia can only humiliate France and every other country that would call for it.
“Because it is Russia that humiliates itself. We all better focus on how to put Russia in its place. This will bring peace and save lives.”
Russia now occupies about a fifth of Ukrainian territory and the West is providing more powerful weapons to Kyiv to push invading forces back to the borders. France has also supplied offensive weapons including Caesar howitzer canon.
“I think, and I told him (Putin), that he is making a historic and fundamental mistake for his people, for himself and for history,” Macron said.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak underlined that there was “no point in holding negotiations” with Moscow until Ukraine pushed Russian forces back “as far as possible to the borders”.
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