a phone call to avoid war at the gates of Europe

The French Head of State and the Russian President “have now been talking for more than an hour on the phone”, says Catherine Demangeat, live from the Palais de l’Élysée in Paris. According to the Élysée, this exchange constitutes, after that of February 7, “the last possible and necessary efforts to avoid a major conflict in Ukraine”, reports the journalist. Last night, Emmanuel Macron had a long telephone conversation with the Ukrainian president.

During this call, “President Zelensky asked him to tell Vladimir Putin his availability for dialogue”says Catherine Demangeat, live for the 12/13 of France 3. “Emmanuel Macron still wants to believe in democracy, in a context described as very dangerous by the Élysée”, adds the journalist. Moreover, according to an adviser to the president, “Russian military action against Ukraine would bring the war to the heart of Europe, then there would be no other option than a very strong reaction, but probably not a military one”, says the journalist. Two watchwords on the French side: firmness and diplomacy.