New Delhi: French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday (March 27, 2022) reacted to his US counterpart Joe Biden describing Russia's Vladimir Putin as a "butcher" and called for restraint in both words and actions in dealing with the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
"I wouldn't use this type of wording because I continue to hold discussions with President Putin," Macron was quoted as saying by Reuters after Biden said that Putin should not remain in power.
"We want to stop the war that Russia has launched in Ukraine without escalation -- that`s the objective," Macron said and noted that the objective was to obtain a cease fire and the withdrawal of troops through diplomatic means.
"If this is what we want to do, we should not escalate things -- neither with words nor actions," Macron added.
The US President, speaking in Warsaw, had said that Putin "cannot remain in power". A White House official, however, later said that Biden's remarks did not represent a shift in Washington's policy and were meant to prepare the world's democracies for an extended conflict, not back regime change in Russia.
Putin has the gall to say he is “de-Nazifying” Ukraine.
This lie isn’t just cynical. It is obscene.
President Zelenskyy was democratically elected. He is Jewish — his father’s family was wiped out in the Nazi Holocaust.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 26, 2022
To the Russian people: You are not our enemy.
The American people stand with you and the brave citizens in Ukraine who want peace. pic.twitter.com/gsbtNYLKDt
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 26, 2022
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said she backed Macron`s approach.
"Obviously, those are words that add oil to the fire," she said, when asked about Biden's comment.
Earlier on Friday, the French president had said he was seeking to hold more talks with Russian President Putin in the coming days regarding the situation in Ukraine as well as an initiative to help people leave the besieged city of Mariupol.
Ii is notable that Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on what he calls a "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine. Ukraine, however, is willing to discuss becoming neutral as part of a peace deal, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said even as another top Ukrainian official accused Russia of aiming to carve the country in two.
Meanwhile, the next round of face to face talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place in Turkey on March 28-30.
The United Nations human rights office said 1,119 civilians had so far been killed and 1,790 wounded since Russia began its attack on Ukraine on February 24.
(With agency inputs)
