The French president on Wednesday refused to repeat his US counterpart Joe Biden’s accusation that Russia is committing “genocide” in Ukraine. “I’m not sure verbal escalations will serve this cause,” he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron refused on Wednesday to repeat the accusation of his American counterpart Joe Biden that Russia is committing “genocide” in Ukraine, and warned that verbal escalation does not help end the war.
Biden on Tuesday accused Russian forces of committing genocide in Ukraine and stated that “it is increasingly clear that Putin is simply trying to erase the very idea of being Ukrainian”.
But Macron, speaking on France 2 television, argued that rulers must be careful with language.
“I would say that Russia unilaterally unleashed the most brutal warthat it has been established that the Russian army has committed war crimes and that it is now necessary to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” Macron said.
“What’s going on is crazy, it’s unbelievably brutal,” he added.
“But at the same time I look at the facts and I want to try, as much as possible, to continue to be able to stop this war and rebuild peace. I am not sure that verbal escalations will serve this cause,” he said.
Macron considered it better to be “careful” with the word genocide in this case, especially since “Ukrainians and Russians are brother peoples.”
But Biden’s comments were welcomed by the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, who has repeatedly accused Moscow of genocide since the beginning of the invasion on February 24.
The statements of Macron, who has maintained dialogue with Putin during the conflict, they reflect the concern the French leader expressed in March when Biden referred to the Russian leader as a “butcher.”
Macron responded then that the priority was to reach a ceasefire through diplomacy and, “if we want to do that, we cannot escalate the language or the actions.”
In the interview with France 2, Macron indicated that he would have further talks with Putin and Zelensky in the coming days.
The French president on Wednesday refused to repeat his US counterpart Joe Biden’s accusation that Russia is committing “genocide” in Ukraine. “I’m not sure verbal escalations will serve this cause,” he said.
French President Emmanuel Macron refused on Wednesday to repeat the accusation of his American counterpart Joe Biden that Russia is committing “genocide” in Ukraine, and warned that verbal escalation does not help end the war.
Biden on Tuesday accused Russian forces of committing genocide in Ukraine and stated that “it is increasingly clear that Putin is simply trying to erase the very idea of being Ukrainian”.
But Macron, speaking on France 2 television, argued that rulers must be careful with language.
“I would say that Russia unilaterally unleashed the most brutal warthat it has been established that the Russian army has committed war crimes and that it is now necessary to find those responsible and bring them to justice,” Macron said.
“What’s going on is crazy, it’s unbelievably brutal,” he added.
“But at the same time I look at the facts and I want to try, as much as possible, to continue to be able to stop this war and rebuild peace. I am not sure that verbal escalations will serve this cause,” he said.
Macron considered it better to be “careful” with the word genocide in this case, especially since “Ukrainians and Russians are brother peoples.”
But Biden’s comments were welcomed by the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, who has repeatedly accused Moscow of genocide since the beginning of the invasion on February 24.
The statements of Macron, who has maintained dialogue with Putin during the conflict, they reflect the concern the French leader expressed in March when Biden referred to the Russian leader as a “butcher.”
Macron then replied that the priority was to reach a ceasefire through diplomacy and, “if we want to do that, we cannot escalate the language or the actions.”
In the interview with France 2, Macron indicated that he would have further talks with Putin and Zelensky in the coming days.
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