The leaders of France and Germany have called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to immediately start negotiations with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in order to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The solution to stop the war can only be found by means of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, with the observance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, French president Emmanuel Macron said. In turn, German chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on Putin to agree to a total ceasefire and withdraw all his forces from Ukraine. The two leaders also called for an improvement in the situation of the civilian population in Russian-held territories and for the release of the 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol. Macron and Scholz also called on Putin to lift the blockade on Odessa and allow the export of Ukrainian cereals and thus avert a global food crisis. In response, the Kremlin said Russia is willing to help find options to resume the free export of grains, including from Ukraine. Without openly agreeing to it, Putin is willing to allow Ukraine to export its grains only if EU countries lift sanctions on Russian agricultural exports. Putin says difficulties on the global market are allegedly determined by the West’s poor decision-making and the sanctions imposed on Russia. As regards a ceasefire, the Kremlin argues Russia is willing to resume dialogue with Ukraine. Right now peace negotiations are suspended, while the Russian forces continue to shell Ukrainian cities.
