Macron delivers bad news from Putin: "The worst is yet to come"

Created: 05/03/2022, 14:19

By: Florian Naumann, Patrick Mayer, Cindy Boden

The Ukraine war rages on.

Further negotiations are currently underway.

But there are also growing concerns about nuclear war.

News ticker.

• Ukraine conflict*: The first round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine did not lead to any tangible result – will a new one soon follow?

• Talks between representatives of Russia and Ukraine started on Thursday afternoon.

  However, Emmanuel Macron brought bad news shortly before (

  update from March 3, 3:50 p.m.

  )

• Concerns about nuclear war are also growing.

  A Nobel Peace Prize winner warns, Sergey Lavrov speaks personally.

  (Updates from March 3, 10:42 am and 11:30 am).

• This

  news ticker about diplomatic events and international reactions in connection with the Ukraine war

  has ended.

  More on the background of the Ukraine crisis* here.

Update from March 3, 7:07 p.m .:

The second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine has ended, as reported by the AFP news agency.

A result has been achieved.

It's about creating humanitarian corridors.

You can read more about this in our new news ticker on the negotiations in the Ukraine war.

Update from March 3, 4:02 p.m .:

The second round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on a ceasefire has now officially begun.

In the afternoon, Belarusian state television showed footage of the two delegations sitting at a table and shaking hands.

Representatives of Russia and Ukraine met in western Belarus.

A few minutes earlier, Mihailo Podolyak, an adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskyy's staff, shared a photo of the talks delegations on Twitter - and made Ukraine's demands public.

These are:

• Immediate ceasefire

• A ceasefire agreement

• Humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from communities destroyed or under fire.

The demand for evacuation corridors also supported EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday afternoon.

"Humanitarian convoys need safe conduct, civilians must be allowed to leave besieged cities safely," she wrote on Twitter during a visit to Slovakia.

"Russia must allow our humanitarian partners to bring aid to the war zone."

Ukraine negotiations: Macron delivers bad news from Putin: "The worst is yet to come"

Update from March 3, 3:50 p.m .:

Emmanuel Macron spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for around 90 minutes in the afternoon – the French President was then concerned.

He believes that "the worst is yet to come" in Ukraine, Macron said, according to a report by the AFP news agency.

quoted

from the agency's information: "There was nothing in President Putin's statements that could calm us down."

"The President's anticipation is that the worst is yet to come, given what President Putin has told him," the Elysee said.

During the almost simultaneous negotiations with Ukraine, the Kremlin chief also confirmed his willingness to "escalate" if Ukraine did not accept his terms.

Ukraine war: Putin threatens Ukraine with new demands

Update from March 3, 3:03 p.m .:

Ukraine has confirmed new negotiations with Russia.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke again with French President Macron

.

Putin has threatened further Russian demands on Ukraine.

The Kremlin confirmed on Thursday that it is about the demilitarization of Ukraine and its neutral status.

Putin emphasized that the goals of the military "special operation", as Russia calls the war, will be achieved in any case.

"Attempts to buy time by prolonging the negotiations will only lead to additional demands on Kyiv in our negotiating position," the Kremlin said.

In addition, the Kremlin announced that Putin had given the French President "reasonable explanations about the important role played by neo-Nazis in Kiev politics".

Macron had previously said in an address to the nation that Russia's justification for fighting Nazis in Ukraine was a lie.

Russia and Ukraine: New negotiations confirmed - Ukraine's minimum target announced

Update from March 3, 1:15 p.m .:

Ukraine has confirmed new negotiations with Russia in the Ukraine war.

In addition, a member of the Ukrainian delegation mentioned a minimum goal: David Arakhamia said that Ukraine at least wanted to agree on humanitarian corridors.

This is reported by the

.

Update from March 3, 1:15 p.m .:

Further negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are expected this Thursday afternoon.

French President Emmanuel Macron has previously spoken again with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The conversation with Putin lasted an hour and a half, the Élysée said on Thursday.

Nothing was initially known about the content.

Macron had announced the night before that he wanted to keep in touch with Putin to prevent the conflict from escalating.

He is the last Western head of state to have had direct contact with Putin in recent weeks.

According to Macron, he is also in regular contact with Selenskyj.

Russia and Ukraine: Lavrov renewed allegations before negotiations

Update from March 3, 12:38 p.m .:

This Thursday, Vladimir Putin will once again speak to his security advisors on TV – the content of the appointment was initially speculated.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously emphasized his willingness to talk to the West (

) - but also renewed allegations shortly before renewed negotiations with Ukraine.

A possible peace agreement with Ukraine must also include the point of demilitarization of the country.

“We cannot afford to have infrastructure in Ukraine that threatens the security of the Russian Federation.

Demilitarization will be carried out to the end - in the sense of destroying the infrastructure and weapons that threaten us," said Russia's chief diplomat.

Update from March 3, 11:52 a.m .:

Before new planned negotiations with Russia, the Ukrainian leadership has demanded compensation for the war damage.

“You will replace us for everything you did to Ukraine.

In full," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video message released on Thursday.

Addressing Russia, Zelenskyy emphasized: "Learn the words reparations and contributions." Kyiv plans to rebuild every house, every street, every city.

None of the dead will be forgotten.

Russia and Ukraine: Talks will probably start in the afternoon

Update from March 3, 11:45 a.m .:

According to Russia, it expects further negotiations to begin with Ukraine this Thursday afternoon.

"I think that the negotiations will start at 3:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. CET)," the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinski, said at noon, according to the Interfax agency.

"Negotiations will take place, we are in contact with the Ukrainian side." Both sides want to meet in western Belarus.

The Kremlin in Moscow also confirmed Russia's willingness to negotiate.

The delegation is still waiting, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Ukrainian side is "apparently in no hurry".

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "We are ready to talk, but we will continue our operation." Russia's security is threatened.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on Ukraine a week ago.

Lavrov confirmed that after the military "special operation" - as Russia calls the war - his country is not planning an occupation regime in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

The Ukrainian people should decide for themselves how they want to live in the future, Lavrov said in an interview with journalists on Thursday.

All nationalities living in the country should be involved in this process, stressed Russia's chief diplomat.

Sergey Lavrov observes a meeting between Vladimir Putin and party friends.

(Archive image) © Mikhail Metzel/www.imago-images.de

Russia-Ukraine talks: "A scaremongering?" Lavrov comments on nuclear war concerns

Update from March 3, 11:30 a.m.:

In view of growing concerns about a nuclear war, Vladimir Putin's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has now accused the West of "scaremongering".

However, some of his words sounded quite alarming.

"Everyone knows that a third world war can only be a nuclear one," Lavrov said on Thursday.

He added: This question is only in the minds of Western politicians and not in those of the Russians.

"I assure you that we will not allow any provocations that will make us lose our balance," Lavrov said in a state-television interview with Russian and international media.

But when the West begins to "unleash a real war against us, those who hatch such plans should think about it, and I think they're thinking about it."

Lavrov now emphasized: "We have a military doctrine that describes the parameters and conditions for the use of nuclear weapons*." There will be no "escalation for the sake of de-escalation," he said.

"But talk about a nuclear war is now underway." That's all down to the West.

He also accused western states of “hysteria”.

A German expert had also recently assessed a nuclear war as unlikely in an interview with Merkur.de.

Russia-Ukraine talks today: Nobel laureate warns of "nuclear war nightmare"

Update from March 3, 10:42 a.m .:

Ukraine and Russia want to negotiate again in Belarus today.

But the concerns are great: The Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitri Muratow warns of the danger of a nuclear war after the Russian attack on Ukraine.

"Of course that would be a nightmare, but I don't rule out that at some point there could actually be temptations to press the nuclear button," said the journalist, who is critical of the government, after the words of a translator in a hearing of the European Parliament on Thursday.

"There is indeed a threat of nuclear war here."

He justified this fear with statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

He had said on Wednesday that World War III would be a nuclear war.

This threat is now also frequently mentioned on Russian state television.

"It's extremely worrying for me," Muratov said.

He runs the newspaper

, which is critical of the Kremlin , and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

The free press in Russia is again under heavy pressure these days.

Muratov reiterated sharp criticism of the war on Ukraine started by Putin.

"There was no excuse for this order," Muratov said, according to the simultaneous translation.

Many Russians didn't want this war, even if they supported Putin.

"The future of our children was ruined here," the translator echoed Muratov's words.

However, he does not expect resistance from the elites surrounding Putin*.

Update from March 3, 10:06 a.m .:

Shortly before the alleged new negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin again raises serious allegations against the West.

What we have observed in the past few days is an unprecedented economic, political and information attack on Russia," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RBK TV on Thursday.

The West pumped arms, equipment and communications into Ukraine like "unrestrained, if not mad".

However, Russia will carry out the “special operation” in the neighboring country as planned.

Germany also announced another arms delivery on Thursday.

Ryabkov criticized that the West had not responded to Russia's security interests.

"It is confirmed that we were not listened to, and now they are simply covering their ears." At the same time, the deputy minister emphasized Russia's willingness to engage in dialogue.

"I am convinced that we can put this low point behind us and start to straighten out relations." Ryabkov emphasized: "This requires the political will of the West, especially the USA."

Update from March 2, 8:10 p.m .:

Possible talks between Ukrainian and Russian representatives have officially been postponed to Thursday.

This is reported, among other things, by the “Tagesschau” of the ARD.

As a result, there will be no negotiations between the two parties to the conflict this Wednesday evening.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: Talks are now only on Thursday

Update from March 2, 7:10 p.m .:

A week after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia expects negotiations with the government in Kiev to continue this Thursday.

According to a report by the Interfax agency, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinski, said on Wednesday evening that the Ukrainians were on their way.

Both sides agreed on the Brest region in western Belarus as the location for the talks.

The Russian military will set up an "appropriate security corridor".

First negotiations on Monday had brought no tangible results.

Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: Kyiv apparently agrees to new talks

Update from March 2, 6:15 p.m .:

The UN General Assembly in New York issued a resolution asking Russia to withdraw immediately from Ukraine.

141 member states voted in favor of the resolution on Wednesday, five voted against and 35 states abstained, including China.

In the resolution, member states "deplore in the strongest terms" the Russian invasion of Ukraine and condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put his country's nuclear forces on high alert.

Russia-Ukraine negotiations: confusion over Moscow-Kyiv talks

Update from March 2, 2:30 p.m.:

Confusion about the continuation of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine: The Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych told the Ukrinform agency: "As for the talks: it is not known whether they will take place." the polls to set the date and location.

It is possible that there will be a meeting on Wednesday.

According to the Kremlin, the Russian side is ready for further talks in the evening

).

CNN quotes a consultant from Ukraine, who in turn announced that there would certainly be talks on Wednesday

.

But that still seems open.

Does China want to mediate in the Ukraine war?

Foreign Minister Wang Yi surprisingly made a phone call to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

What is Beijing up to?

More on that behind the link.

Ukraine-Russia talks: can escalated conflict be resolved soon?

Update from March 2, 1:45 p.m .:

Now the Ukrainian side is also commenting on possible further negotiations: According to CNN, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it “is not yet known when a new round of talks with Russia will take place”.

Russia's terms remained unchanged, according to a post on Facebook.

"We are ready for talks, we are ready for diplomacy, but we are in no way ready to accept any Russian ultimatums," Kuleba added.

Ukraine war: EU imposed sanctions on Russia

Update from March 2, 1:32 p.m .:

China is currently watching very closely what is happening in Ukraine.

Because the reaction of the West could decide whether Beijing dares to attack Taiwan one day.

More on that behind the link.

Update from March 2nd, 12.40 p.m .:

The EU has implemented its sanctions to exclude seven Russian financial institutions from the Swift banking communication network.

A transitional period of ten days applies.

Among other things, the second largest bank in Russia VTB is affected, according to the EU Official Journal published on Wednesday.

The EU ban on Russian state media RT and Sputnik is also in force.

Lavrov on the Ukraine war: Russia wants to dictate the composition of the government to the neighboring country

Update from March 2, 12 noon:

Russia wants to dictate to Ukraine the composition of its future government.

"The Ukrainian people are choosing their leaders," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview published in part with the TV channel Al-Jazeera, from which the Tass agency quoted on Wednesday.

"But it must represent all nationalities of Ukraine," Lavrov demanded.

Russia has repeatedly claimed that the pro-Western Ukrainian government discriminates against native Russian speakers and Russians, particularly in eastern Ukraine.

There is no independent evidence for this.

There are also large minorities of Hungarians, Belarusians, Romanians and Bulgarians in Ukraine.

Lavrov accused Ukraine of not having any real interest in negotiations with Russia

.

"We are ready for a second round of negotiations, but the Ukrainian side is delaying at the behest of the Americans," Lavrov said without providing any evidence.

"The West refused to cooperate with us in forming a new European security architecture," Lavrov said.

At first there was no confirmation of negotiations from Kyiv.

Russia ready for new talks with Ukraine - already tonight

First report from March 2nd:

Moscow - Russia agreed to renewed negotiations with Ukraine on Wednesday evening (March 2nd).

"Our delegation is ready to continue the talks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Wednesday.

The Russian delegation will be "on site in the early evening," said Peskov, without naming the venue.

He hopes that the Ukrainian negotiators will also appear.

A first round of negotiations in the Belarusian border region of Gomel on Monday remained without tangible results against the background of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

Both sides had agreed on a second round of talks, but without naming a date.

Ukraine War Negotiations: Russia Ready for Further Talks

Before the negotiations began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Moscow for an “immediate ceasefire” and a withdrawal of Russian troops from his country.

He had also made it clear that he had no high hopes for the talks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin* demanded that the Russian invasion of Ukraine be ended by demilitarization and recognition of the Crimean peninsula, which Russia had annexed, as Russian territory.

In addition, Putin again called for a "denazification" of the Ukrainian government and the "neutrality" of Ukraine.