
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the conditions set by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire in Ukraine are “not acceptable to anyone,” without specifying what Putin's conditions were.
“I do not see a diplomatic solution in the coming hours or even coming days,” Macron told reporters in Versailles ahead of a summit of European Union leaders that will center on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, solutions to rising energy prices and less dependence on Russian gas and oil.
Macron said he does not see ceasefire in Ukraine as "realistic" in the coming hours.
“I’m definitely optimistic but I have to be realistic as well,” he added.
Earlier on Thursday: Putin held a telephone conversation with Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Speaking of Ukraine's request for a fast-track accession to the EU, Macron told reporters: “With a country at war? I don’t think so … Must we close the door and say ‘never’? That would be unjust.”
The French president said the war in Ukraine is a “tragedy … a human, political and humanitarian tragedy” but added that it’ll “lead to completely redefining the architecture of Europe.”
“These are discussions that are strategic and historic. They will lead to, today, in the coming weeks and months, historic decisions for our Europe,” Macron said.
The French leader said that he was “troubled” by seeing images from the deadly bomb attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol in southern Ukraine on Wednesday.
He said since the beginning of Russia’s war in Ukraine, “humanitarian tragedies of this kind were made at multiple occasions.”
“The weapons, profoundly lethal, without discernment, were being used right in the middle of cities,” Macron continued.