ATclose to meetings with Ukrainian Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron estimated on Tuesday February 8 that there was “now the possibility of advancing the negotiations” of peace on the conflict with pro-Russian separatists in the east of Ukraine. He also said he believed, at the end of his double visit to Moscow and Kiev, in “concrete practical solutions” to lead to a de-escalation of the Russian-Western crisis which has developed around Ukraine. President Putin “told me that he would not cause an escalation. I think it matters,” he explained.
The French president, however, said he wanted to “separate, on purpose”, the “increased tensions” in the border regions between Russia and Ukraine and the exchanges between Russia and the West on NATO. Finally, he noted a Russian commitment to the fact that “there would be no fixed base or deployment of sensitive equipment” in Belarus, where joint military maneuvers with Russia are planned until February 20. “I believe it has been confirmed,” continued Emmanuel Macron.
On the other hand, he specified that he had not obtained a commitment on the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Russian-Ukrainian border. “No one is naive, the recent deployments are linked to a situation of tension. Yesterday, I did not announce anything on this subject. It will be the result of a process that we have opened,” he explained. Overall, according to Emmanuel Macron, the question of de-escalation in the region “is not reduced to the question of NATO” but “covers other subjects and a process of very concrete progress”.
“Continue the dialogue”
“In this matter we must continue the dialogue” with Vladimir Putin, he insisted. Furthermore, regarding the conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, a new meeting of advisers to the Russian, Ukrainian, French and German leaders will take place in Berlin on Thursday, following their previous meeting at the end of January in Paris. Moscow is widely seen as the military and financial godfather of the separatists.
Volodymyr Zelensky for his part announced to expect a next summit with the Russian and French presidents and the German chancellor on the peace process in eastern Ukraine, preceded by a new meeting between advisers this Thursday in Berlin. Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic journey is to continue in the evening in Berlin with talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, himself just returned from Washington.
The French head of state is the first high-profile Western leader to meet Vladimir Putin since tensions escalated in December. After their meeting, the strong man of Russia felt that “some of Emmanuel Macron’s ideas” could “lay the foundations for common progress” and must speak with him again after his trip to Ukraine. An unknown remains as to the real intentions of Vladimir Putin who did not say a word on Monday of the Russian troops present on the borders of Ukraine.
On the other hand, he once again vilified the Western refusal to give in to him on the end of NATO’s enlargement policy and the withdrawal of its military resources from Eastern Europe. Russia presented these demands as conditions for de-escalation. But, according to the French presidency, Vladimir Putin has agreed to consider Emmanuel Macron’s proposals. This involves a commitment not to take new military initiatives on either side, the start of a dialogue, particularly on the Russian military posture, peace negotiations on the conflict in Ukraine and the start of a strategic dialogue.
American soldiers in Romania
On Monday, Kiev had insisted on three “red lines”: no compromise on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, no direct negotiations with the separatists and no interference in its foreign policy. On the military level, Russia would also undertake to withdraw its military units from Belarus, once the maneuvers are completed in February. “Nobody ever said that Russian forces were going to stay on Belarusian territory,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “These are joint exercises and, of course, this assumes that the troops return to their bases at the end of these exercises. »
Further south, on the other hand, six Russian warships are leaving the Mediterranean to go, as part of maritime exercises announced last month, to the Black Sea, an area of tensions because bordering both Ukraine, Russia , the annexed peninsula of Crimea and several NATO countries. Ukraine itself is planning extensive military maneuvers on its territory from February 10 to 20, using combat drones purchased from Turkey as well as anti-tank missiles delivered by Washington and London, alongside Russian-Belarusian exercises. The United States, Germany and the United Kingdom have also sent military reinforcements to Europe. A first detachment of a hundred American soldiers arrived in Romania.
