After his long interview with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday evening, Emmanuel Macron stopped in Kiev, Ukraine, to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The French head of state has proposed to the master of the Kremlin to build concrete security guarantees in Europe, but he will also have to reassure the Ukrainians, who are worried not only about the increase in Russian troops on their borders, but also of any attempt to compromise at their expense.
In recent days, President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent several signals that suggest that he supports Emmanuel Macron’s mediation approach, reports our correspondent in Kiev, Stephane Siohan.
Contrary to alarmist messages from the White House, the Ukrainian government insists that a Russian invasion is not imminent. Visibly, Volodymyr Zelensky wishes to avoid any phenomenon of panic, which could destabilize the country, and in particular its economy.
Nevertheless, a few hours before Emmanuel Macron’s first visit to Kiev, the press and observers are quite suspicious, they seem to fear that the French president wants to impose concessions on his Ukrainian partner that would go against the interests from the country.
Ukraine does not want any concessions on sovereignty
On Monday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba drew red lines: “ diplomatic solutions, yes, but no concessions on sovereignty he said, and according to him, only the Ukrainian people have the right to define the direction of their foreign policy.
During their meeting, Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Poutine once again took note of their disagreements, particularly on the question of alliances and NATO, but they also both affirmed that the solution lay in respecting the Minsk agreements and they have each expressed in their own way the desire to keep in touch and to work together for the stability of Europe, recalls our special correspondent in Moscow, Valerie Gas.
►Also read: Ukraine: Macron offers “concrete security guarantees”, Putin open to “compromise”
If the Russian president had to address Ukraine a formula popular in Russia, and very brutal – “whether you like it or you don’t, my dear, you have no choice but to with “- , underlines this Tuesday our correspondent in Moscow, Anissa el-Jabri, Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron have nevertheless made a commitment to speak to each other again soon and the French president has judged that the next few days were “decisive”. According to him, there is “no lasting solution that does not go through diplomacy”. He will therefore try to pursue his initiative in favor of dialogue and de-escalation in Kiev.
In Washington, Olaf Scholz meets Biden to show Western unity against Russia
With our correspondent in Washington, Guillaume Naudin
The diplomatic ballet to try to avoid a Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. While Emmanuel Macron was in Moscow, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Washington with the aim of showing the unity of the West against Russia, but it is not always easy.
Since the beginning of the crisis, the United States has promised unprecedented sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine and has insisted on the unity of Westerners. But Germany does not take up this offensive discourse on its own. So much so that Joe Biden is forced to reiterate his confidence in Olaf Scholz. ” There is no need to regain trust. He has the full confidence of the United States. Germany is one of our most important allies in the world. There is no doubt about Germany’s partnership with the United States. Any “, insisted the American president.
Except that there are obviously sticking points. For example on the fate of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline which connects Russia directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The United States has long opposed it and Joe Biden announces his cut in the event of an invasion. ” If Russia invades, with tanks or troops crossing the border from Ukraine, then there will be no more Nord Stream 2. We will end it. »
Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, is careful not to mention the pipeline. ” We act together. We are absolutely united. We will not take different measures. We will take the same measures and they will be very hard on Russia and they should understand that. Olaf Scholz also recalls that his country is one of the largest contributors to economic aid to Ukraine.