As of: 03/29/2022 9:05 p.m
A ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russian soldiers from Ukraine – these are the demands of the heads of state and government of the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy to Putin after a joint telephone call.
After a joint telephone call to Ukraine, the heads of state and government of the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy pledged further active support and sharply condemned Russia’s attack. “They again urged Russian President Putin to agree to a ceasefire, cease all hostilities, withdraw Russian soldiers from Ukraine and enable a diplomatic solution to the crisis,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit.
“High sanction pressure” should be retained
The quintet also called on Putin to finally allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to Ukraine and to set up effective humanitarian corridors through which residents can leave or receive supplies from contested areas – especially in the city of Mariupol, which has been under siege for weeks. The high sanctions pressure against Russia will be maintained, it said. Measures to ensure energy security and counteract high energy prices were also discussed.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted on intransigence towards Russia. According to a statement, the Putin government must be judged by its actions and not by its words, Johnson said after talks with Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron as well as Scholz and Prime Minister Mario Draghi. There was agreement that the pressure on Russia must not be let up before “the horror that is being brought to Ukraine” comes to an end, the statement continued.
The Élysée Palace in Paris said the group of five had reaffirmed the need to maintain a channel of communication with the Kremlin through Macron and in consultation with Ukraine. During the meeting, it was also agreed what message Macron would send to Putin immediately afterwards. In addition to the need for an aid operation for the people of Mariupol, Macron addressed the Russian demand for payment for its energy supplies in rubles, which was unanimously rejected. It was also about the latest status of the peace consultations.
France’s initiative for Mariupol failed
France initially failed with its initiative for an evacuation campaign from the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which had been hotly contested for weeks. The conditions for bringing thousands of civilians stuck in the city to safety “are not available at this stage,” said the Presidential Office in Paris after Macron’s talks with Putin.
Macron announced a joint initiative with Turkey and Greece over the weekend to organize an evacuation campaign from Mariupol. However, he only promised to “think about it”. Instead, Putin called on Ukrainian forces in Mariupol to surrender. “In order to find a solution to the difficult humanitarian situation in this city, Ukrainian nationalist fighters must stop their resistance and lay down their arms,” Putin said after the phone call with Macron.