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Zelensky says Macron asked Ukraine to make concessions ‘to help Putin save face’: report

16.05.2022 15:00
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron has asked Kyiv to make compromises over Russia's invasion “to help Vladimir Putin save face,” according to a Polish website.
Volodymyr Zelensky.
Volodymyr Zelensky.PAP/EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko

In an interview with Italy’s public broadcaster Rai last week, Zelensky was asked about a remark by Macron that Europe must not humiliate Putin, the tvp.info website reported on Monday.

Zelensky replied that Macron had asked Ukraine to make concessions as regards its sovereignty to help Russian leader Vladimir Putin save face, tvp.info said.

Helping Putin 'save face’?

“We won’t help Putin save face by paying with our territory,” Zelensky said, according to tvp.info.

He also stated that Ukraine would never recognise Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, adding that Macron was looking “in vain” for “a way out for Russia,” tvp.info reported.

Macron 'never asked' Zelensky 'for any concession': aides

Meanwhile, Macron’s aides rejected such an interpretation of his words, according to tvp.info.

“The president of the Republic has never discussed anything with Vladimir Putin without the agreement of President Zelensky and has never asked President Zelensky for any concession,” an Elysée official said on Friday, as quoted by tvp.info, adding that Macron "has always said that it was up to the Ukrainians to decide the terms of their negotiations with the Russians."

Zelensky said in the interview he was ready to talk with Putin provided that the discussions were held “without intermediaries” and “are based on dialogue, not an ultimatum,” tvp.info reported. 

‘We will never recognise borders Russia has attempted to change’: German FM

Meanwhile, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday: “We will never recognise borders Russia has attempted to change by military aggression,” as cited by tvp.info.

She made the declaration after a meeting of G7’s top diplomats in Weissenhaus, northern Germany, tvp.info reported.

Monday is day 82 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: tvp.infopolitico.eu