Vladimir Putin has set unrealistic conditions for a ceasefire in Ukraine, including cutting off Western military aid to Kiev, French government spokeswoman Sophie Prima said today, a day after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and the Russian president.
"Putin has set conditions that do not seem realistic, at least for Europeans and Ukrainians, including the cessation of all Western support for Ukraine," she said after government meetings.
"There is still a long way to go," a French government spokeswoman said after the announcement of a partial ceasefire in Ukraine that would cover energy infrastructure.
French and Ukrainian presidents Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky initially proposed a month-long ceasefire in the air, at sea and against energy infrastructure, before the US and Ukraine made a joint offer of a general 30-day ceasefire, which was not accepted after the Trump-Putin phone call.
Sophie Prima questioned the reality of this partial ceasefire, noting that "last night Russian armed forces bombed energy infrastructure in Ukraine."
According to her, a phone call between Trump and Putin cannot lead to an agreement until the Ukrainians and Europeans themselves are included in the talks.
A French government spokeswoman said Macron has daily calls and conversations with Trump, Zelensky, as well as with European colleagues.
According to sources close to the Elysee Palace, Macron had a conversation with Trump on Tuesday evening after the Trump-Putin talks.
The Elysee Palace is currently expressing a certain "caution", with a request that the Ukrainians be included in the talks and a belief that everything possible should be done towards peace in Ukraine.
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