Russia-Ukraine war: Macron avers no prospect of ceasefire after call with Zelenskyy, Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that there is no agreement in sight for a ceasefire in Ukraine, thwarting expectations that a peace deal could be signed between Kyiv and Moscow in the coming weeks. His remarks came on Tuesday after he held telephonic discussions with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy amidst the ongoing war. “For the time being there is no agreement, but the President [Macron] remains convinced of the need to continue his efforts,” a statement by the French presidency said.

However, Macron said that he remains adamant about finding a solution to the ongoing crisis. “There is no other way out than a ceasefire and good faith negotiations between Russia and Ukraine,” Macron said underscoring the need to continue his efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis that has emerged. However, he stood firm on his stance and reiterated his support for Ukraine in the conflict.   

Mariupol still under seige

This comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine entered Day 28 on Wednesday. War for the besieged port city of Mariupol has continued for weeks now. Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled as Russian troops continue their assault on the city. Speaking to Associated Press, one refugee said, “People there (in Mariupol) do not even have water”. Fresh clashes emerged in Makariv where Ukrainian troops said that they regained control of the Kyiv suburb.

Last week, Macron asked his Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift the siege of Mariupol, allow humanitarian access and order an immediate cease-fire. His demands came as spoke to Putin on Friday 70 minutes, during which he revisited complaints about repeated attacks on civilians and Russia's failure to respect human rights in Ukraine. Putin, in turn, laid the blame for the war on Ukraine, Macron's office said.

Meanwhile, US President Biden warned that Putin might deploy Chemical or biological weapons in the war. “Putin’s back is against the wall,” He added that “and the more his back is against the wall, the greater the severity of the tactics he may employ.” As of now, the White House hasn’t found any evidence of this. The American leader is expected to visit Europe his week.

(Image: AP)