A new interview between the French and Russian presidents, and new concerns.
Emmanuel Macron expressed to Vladimir Putin on Friday his "extreme concern" about the situation in Mariupol, a city in southeastern Ukraine bombarded by the Russian army, and called for "the lifting of the siege", indicated the Elysee. .
During a new telephone conversation between the French and Russian presidents which lasted 1h10, Emmanuel Macron "again demanded the immediate respect of a ceasefire" in Ukraine, said the presidency.
The Head of State put on the table "the deterioration of the situation, the continuation of strikes affecting civilians and the non-respect of humanitarian law, while the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations have not yet product of progress”, according to the Élysée.
Regarding the port of Mariupol, he “called for concrete and verifiable measures for the lifting of the siege, humanitarian access and an immediate ceasefire”.
Putin claims not to target civilians
The Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday accused the Russian air force of having “knowingly” bombed a theater in this city where hundreds of inhabitants were refugees, which Russia denied.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that "hundreds" of people were under the rubble while more than 130 could be saved.
According to a first assessment of the municipal council, the bombardment caused at least one serious injury but no deaths.
Read alsoMariupol besieged by Russia: ten edifying images of the city-martyrdom
The town hall of Mariupol reported that the situation was "critical" with "uninterrupted" Russian bombardments and "colossal" destruction.
During the exchange, Vladimir Putin accused kyiv of “numerous war crimes”, assuring that the forces led by Moscow were doing “everything possible” not to target civilians, for its part announced the Kremlin.
After an interview with his Ukrainian counterpart, French Prime Minister Jean Castex for his part reaffirmed on Twitter "France's total commitment at his side": "Unwavering support for Ukraine and its population, solidarity with the victims of war, mobilization of the whole Nation to welcome refugees with dignity,” he underlined.