Dan Wootton says Macron has been ‘humiliated’ by Putin
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Volodymyr Groysman, the former Prime Minister of Ukraine slammed Mr Macron for his failure in using diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Groysman, who served as the head of government between 2016 and 2019, claimed that talks held by France and Germany with Russia have only led to escalation, culminating in the current war.
Even as Putin’s troops rampage across Ukraine, Mr Macron and German chancellor Olaf Scholz have insisted on keeping communication channels with Moscow open.
In the past month, Mr Macron and Putin have spoken over the phone more than a dozen times.
The most recent conversation took place on Saturday, and also included Mr Scholz.
However, French officials note that Putin did not show a willingness to end his war in Ukraine.
Speaking to EURACTIV, Mr Groysman said: “I have a direct question to Macron and Scholz – how many times have you been or spoken to Moscow?
“What did you achieve?
“They just continue saying that they’re asking for a peaceful resolution and that they’re deeply concerned about Russia’s actions – toothless statements don’t work anymore.”
The Minsk agreement II, which was a pact brokered by France and Germany, was widely considered by Ukrainians as a betrayal of their national interests.
Last month, Putin declared that the Minsk agreements “no longer existed” shortly before invading Ukraine.
When he was asked whether France and Germany should host future peace talks, Mr Groysman said that both countries “need to stop fooling themselves and need to stop fooling their citizens.
“They need to be frank and to acknowledge that the eight years of diplomacy which they have been attempting to hold before this war started has only led to new escalation and to a large scale war against Ukraine.”
Mr Groysman also called for tougher sanctions on Russian energy, especially from Germany, which has so far rejected a complete ban on Russian gas and oil import.
Last week, Mr Scholz ruled out sanctions against Russian gas flowing to the EU, warning that it put the EU’s energy security at risk.
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Russia is the world’s second top producer of crude oil after Saudi Arabia, and supplies about a third of Europe’s needs.
Meanwhile, around 40 percent of Europe’s gas also comes from Moscow.
Given how much the EU depends on Russia for its energy needs, Mr Scholz warned that sanctioning could put Europe’s energy security in jeopardy.
Germany has previously dragged its feet over Russian gas for months, refusing to leverage the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline in negotiations with Russia to prevent it from invading Ukraine.
Mr Groysmas said: “The ruble is a fuel for murder.”
He also called for western powers to send more weapons supplies.
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