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After the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, communicated with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, the possibilities of a conclave between Russians, Ukrainians and the European security entity were on the way. In addition, the Kremlin leader confirmed to Macron that the troops in Belarus will withdraw after military exercises and that he will seek to defuse the tense situation in Donbass.
This Sunday a telephone call was held between the presidents of Russia and France in order to defuse the conflict in Ukraine and especially the tense situation in the Donbas region, with a high presence of pro-Russian separatists in Donestk and Lugansk, who accuse each other with the Ukrainian troops being carrying out attacks on the territories in their domain.
Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin agreed that they will work to restore the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, according to the French head of state’s office. This Monday a trilateral conclave would take place between Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
In addition, Serguei Lavrov – Russian Foreign Minister – will also have a dialogue with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to the Russian Ministry. It is likely that it will take place on Monday itself, although from France they did not confirm the date and assured that it will be “in the days to come”.
During their call, Macron and Putin agreed that it is necessary to return to the ceasefire in Ukraine to “promote a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and do everything possible to achieve it,” the Elysee assured.
Telephone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron: developments in Ukraine, evacuation of LPR and DPR citizens https://t.co/P3fyDXs0Kf
— President of Russia (@KremlinRussia_E) February 20, 2022
“In view of the urgency of the situation, the presidents recognized the need to intensify the search for solutions through diplomatic means through the Foreign Ministries and the political advisers of the leaders of the Normandy format,” the Kremlin said in a statement. release.
The Moscow note also said that, for Putin and Macron, diplomatic contacts in the Normandy Format between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will help restore the ceasefire in the Donbass area.
However, both leaders made it clear that they have opposing views regarding responsibility for what is happening in eastern Ukraine. Macron blamed pro-Russian separatists, while Putin blamed forces in Kiev. He also criticized NATO’s supply of modern weapons to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Russian president repeated that the country’s troops that are in Belarus will leave once they finish the military exercises that continued this Sunday and that raised the alarm last Saturday after the activities with ballistic nuclear missiles and cruise.
Macron also spoke with Zelenski, who asks to cease hostilities
The President of France, after chatting with Putin for almost two hours, had contacts with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, who stressed the need to end hostilities immediately in Donbass.
“We are in favor of intensifying the peace process. We support the meeting without delay of the Trilateral Contact Group,” wrote the Ukrainian president through his Twitter account.
The Elysee notified that the French president will meet “in the next few hours” with the American leader, Joe Biden, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to discuss the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi could join.
Continuing yesterday’s conversation, informed @EmmanuelMacron about the current security situation and new provocative shelling. We stand for intensifying the peace process. We support the immediate agreement of the TCG and the immediate introduction of a regime of silence.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 20, 2022
On Saturday night there had already been a contact between Macron and Zelenski, in which the latter described the worsening of the situation and the casualties suffered by the Ukrainian forces due to the reactivation of the conflict.
Kiev sources indicate that two soldiers died in the Donbass after receiving shrapnel wounds after attacks by separatists. On the pro-Russian side, they reported the fall of two civilians and one wounded because of the Army.
This Saturday, the observers of the European security organization of the OSCE detected more than 1,500 violations of the ceasefire in a single day, the highest number of the year. The entity detailed that 591 were in Donetsk and 975 in Luganks, the regions controlled by the separatists.
With EFE and AFP