(Paris) Vladimir Putin told Emmanuel Macron on Sunday that he would “achieve his goals” in Ukraine “either through negotiation or through war”, but denied attacking civilians and assured that he would not attack nuclear power stations, indicated the French presidency.
Posted at 12:48 p.m.
During a telephone interview at 1:45 a.m., the French president reiterated his “serious concern” for the security of nuclear sites, after the bombing on March 4 of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporozhye, the largest in Europe. He insisted on “the imperative that concrete measures be taken to respond to it”, said the Elysée in a press release.
Vladimir Putin for his part assured that he “was not in his intention to carry out attacks on nuclear power plants” and said he was “ready to respect the standards of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency ) for the protection of power plants,” the French presidency told reporters.
The Russian president gave his agreement for “a dialogue to be initiated between IAEA, Ukraine and Russia so that the power stations are made safe”, specified Paris. Monday, during a meeting of the board of governors of the IAEA, its director should make proposals for the security of Ukrainian power plants.
Vladimir Putin also again “denied that his army is targeting civilians”, while the French president asked him not to endanger them, in accordance with international law.
And he reaffirmed that “the responsibility lies with the Ukrainians to let the population of the surrounded towns go”.
“The attacking army is the Russian army,” replied Emmanuel Macron, again asking his Russian counterpart to cease his military operations. He also claimed to have “no reason to believe that the Ukrainian armies put civilians in danger”.
Emmanuel Macron found the Russian president “very determined to achieve his objectives”, including “what he calls the ‘denazification’ and neutralization of Ukraine” as well as the recognition of the independence of Crimea and Donbass. Requirements which are, according to Paris, “unacceptable for Ukrainians”.
“It is not impossible we will take new sanctions soon,” announced the Elysee, without specifying whether they could go so far as to limit imports of Russian gas and oil, on which several European countries depend.
In any case, the EU plans to use its strategic reserves “to prevent an even more impressive price spike”, specifies Paris. But “we are not afraid today for our supply”, assures the Elysée.
“The objective remains not to wage war on Russia, but to change Vladimir Putin’s calculations,” repeated Emmanuel Macron’s advisers.
On the ground, “the longer the conflict lasts, the more the risk of seeing forms of brutal war increases”, they worry.
“The chemical risk is not proven,” said an adviser questioned on this subject, “but we have seen how Russia was able to behave in Chechnya or in Syria or, through militias, in the Central African Republic or in Mali” . “It does not prejudge what Russia will do in Ukraine, but it requires finding a way to get the fighting to stop as quickly as possible”.
The advisers clarified that they saw images of bombed civilians, “which may fall into the category of war crimes”, referring however to the International Criminal Court which has opened an investigation into the situation in Ukraine.
“We know that Kharkiv is under heavy siege and heavy shelling, as well as Mariupol, and that Kyiv is about to be surrounded,” added the Elysee.