France Link

Macron warns against 'escalation' after Biden brands Putin 'butcher'

 French leader said he saw his task as "achieving first a ceasefire and then the total withdrawal of (Russian) troops by diplomatic means".

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France's president Emmanuel Macron warned Sunday against a verbal "escalation" of Russia's invasion in Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power", reports FRANCE 24.

The Kremlin had reacted in fury over Biden's comments which it said narrows the window for bilateral relations, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine now into a second month.

Macron said he would speak to Putin in the next two days to organise the evacuation of civilians from the heavily bombarded port city of Mariupol.

The French leader told broadcaster France 3 that he saw his task as "achieving first a ceasefire and then the total withdrawal of (Russian) troops by diplomatic means."

"If we want to do that, we can't escalate either in words or actions."

Read more of this report from FRANCE 24