Putin warns 'destabilisation' of region over arms supply to Ukraine; 'It's dangerous'

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Saturday warned Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron against supplying arms to Ukraine. Weaponising Ukraine’s military is “dangerous,” will further destabilise the region and spill the conflict in the EU, Putin told Macron and Chancellor Scholz, according to Kremlin. French President Macron and German Chancellor Scholz asked Russian President Putin Putin to release 2,500 Azov and Ukrainian service members that surrendered to Russia’s troops in besieged port city of Mariupol. The fighters were holed up inside the Azovstal steel plant which became the final bastion of Ukrainian resistance after the entire city was captured. 

"The president of the Republic and the German chancellor asked for the release of some 2,500 defenders of Azovstal made prisoners of war by the Russian forces," the French presidency said in a statement after the 80 minute phone call. 

Macron and Scholz asked Putin to hold "direct serious negotiations" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Putin reiterated that Moscow was open to resume dialogue with Kyiv, according to his office. The two European leaders "insisted on an immediate ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian troops", the German chancellor's office said in a statement, separately. Both Macron and Scholz insisted that Putin must hold "serious direct negotiations with the Ukrainian president and (find) a diplomatic solution to the conflict".

Putin demands removal of Western sanctions

Russia’s president told the European leaders that he was "ready" to cooperate on ways to get ships with grain exports out that have been stuck at key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. Although. he demanded that the West must lift sanctions against Russia. Putin blamed the Western countries for exacerbating the global food crisis due to their "erroneous economic and financial policies” and barrage of sanctions against Moscow. 

"Russia is ready to help find options for the unhindered export of grain, including the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports," Putin said, according to Kremlin’s statement. "An increase in the supply of Russian fertilisers and agricultural products will also help reduce tensions on the global food market, which, of course, will require the removal of the relevant sanctions,” leader of the Russia Federation went on to add.

Putin warned French and German leaders about risks of destabilisation of the situation, and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis. Russia’s war on Ukraine had triggered global hunger due to disruption to critical supplies of fertiliser, wheat and other commodities due to Russian troops’ blockage of the Black Sea ports. The talks between the three leaders happened as Russia's defence ministry announced that the Ukrainian town of Lyman had fallen under the full control of Russia.