French President Emmanuel Macron did not try to deny Ukraine its pro-Western aspirations and, during his visit to Kiev this week, presented views and proposals, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said today.
In a press conference, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy stressed that Kiev will not accept ultimatums in order to defuse tensions with Russia.
Macron visited Kiev after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The latter asks not to admit Ukraine to NATO and Kiev is worried that unpleasant compromises will be imposed on it.
“There was no betrayal,” Kuleba said. He added that during Macron’s visit, the possibility of Western countries denying Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations was not discussed. “Yesterday (Tuesday) there was a discussion on ideas, it was not a discussion on specific proposals,” he stressed.
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly expressed its desire for Ukraine to join NATO, and President Volodymyr Zelensky argues that the Ukrainian army is better prepared than the armed forces of some Alliance member states.
After the talks in Kiev, Macron said that Putin and Zelensky had told him that they were committed to the principles of the 2014 peace agreement. These so-called “Minsk agreements” provide a way to resolve their differences, the French president added.
Kuleba, however, said today that the Ukrainian authorities are not abandoning their red lines and, although ready for negotiations, will not agree to the implementation of the Minsk agreements as perceived by Russia. Kiev will not negotiate directly with the Russian-backed separatists, and the main task of the negotiators, who will meet tomorrow, Thursday, in Berlin, is to resume talks within the OSCE.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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