New phone call between President Macron and President Putin today (the fourth since the beginning of the war). @Elysee read-out bellow👇
"The French President expressed to Vladimir Putin his grave concern about the risks to nuclear safety, security and safeguards resulting from the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and the imperative that concrete measures be taken to address them."
"He stressed the absolute necessity to avoid any damage to the integrity of 🇺🇦 civilian nuclear facilities, whose safety and security must be guaranteed in accordance with the rules of the IAEA. The 🇷🇺 President agreed that the IAEA should begin its work without delay."
"The French President stressed the importance of ensuring the safety and security of all civilian nuclear facilities in Ukraine under the authority of the competent Ukrainian authorities."
"The President also called for the respect of international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and the delivery of aid. He reiterated the importance of a negotiated solution, fully acceptable to the Ukrainians."
"Finally, the French President conveyed his concern about the imminent attack on the city of Odessa." [End]
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"I think that #Ukraine will win" according to French foreign minister Le Drian during a television interview yesterday. A short 🧵 on his remarks:
"France provides military equipment to Ukraine, in number and quality," but will not give details. "We know the practice of the Russians on these matters, especially in Syria, and it would be absurd to give details that would help the 🇷🇺 army to organize itself accordingly."
"A no-fly-zone would mean that the Ukrainian sky would be protected against Russian aircrafts. To do this, we would need aircrafts to ensure this security. In this case, we would be co-belligerents" according to the French minister explaining why a no-fly-zone is not an option.
"Russia is pleading for humanitarian corridors to Russia. This is hypocrisy, an artifact of communication that I condemn. This is moral and political cynicism that I cannot bear."
Strong words of President Macron on French national television today.
"The situation is getting worse every day. There are deaths, fatigue is setting in and humanitarian conditions are deteriorating. We have not succeeded in obtaining a cease-fire from Russia."
"France is committed with its partners to carry out humanitarian operations to get civilians out of the conflict zones to protect them. Humanitarian actors must be able to intervene and need true cease-fires to do so."
Interesting: President Macron had a phone call today with the Serbian President Vučić to discuss the war in #Ukraine and its aftershocks. elysee.fr/emmanuel-macro…
“The 🇫🇷 President praised the close cooperation between France and Serbia, and the clarity of its position in international forums on the war in Ukraine and the necessary respect of the sovereignty of States.” (🇷🇸 voted in favor of the 🇺🇳 resolution).
“The President considered that the war in 🇺🇦 requires that the EU and all the countries close to it, especially those countries like 🇷🇸 that have been granted a European perspective, examine together the ways and means to further strengthen their ties …
A war in Ukraine "was on the table as early as the summer of 2021, when I took office. There was intelligence that the Russians would wait until it was cold" before attacking Ukraine. "The triggering of the attack was therefore not a surprise."
As soon as the first bombings took place, "we activated the planned measures. Every position that needed to be reinforced in the French armed forces was reinforced".
[Thread] President Macron just delivered a public address on the war in #Ukraine. A 🧵on the main messages of this long and solemn speech: elysee.fr/emmanuel-macro…
"Since Pres. Putin's brutal attack on Ukraine, Russian forces have been shelling Kyiv, besieging the country's most important cities. Hundreds of civilians have already been killed. The next few days will probably be even harder. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are fleeing."
"We stand by Ukraine. Tonight, I salute the courage of the Ukrainian people who are resisting under fire, and I send President Zelensky France's fraternal support. Today he is the face of honor, freedom, and bravery."
"We cannot allow the rule of force to take precedence over the rule of law."
Strong speech of 🇫🇷 foreign minister to the UN Conference on Disarmament. A forceful rebuttal of 🇷🇺 repeated violations of disarmament and arms control rules and norms. A 🧵: diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/politique-e…
"How can we move forward together on a disarmament agenda when one country, 🇷🇺 , decides otherwise? The reality is that 🇷🇺 attitude & actions are in contempt of the spirit & texts of our collective work. For years, 🇷🇺 has consistently violated and circumvented its obligations."
"🇷🇺 has failed to comply with its obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention. By unilaterally suspending its application of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe and withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty, 🇷🇺 has permanently damaged the European security architecture."