The conversation between Macron, Putin and Solt is over

LAST UPDATE: 15:33

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Solz had a new telephone conversation today with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the subject of the Ukraine war, Elize reported.

The telephone conversation started around 12.00 local time (13.00 Greek time) and ended before 14.00 local time, the French presidency clarified, adding that Macron had previously had a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.

Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Solz and Vladimir Putin had called on Thursday for a telephone conversation in which France and Germany “demanded that Russia implement an immediate ceasefire”.

Since their meeting in the Kremlin on February 7, Emanuel Macron has taken part in nine telephone conversations, including Thursday, with Vladimir Putin, according to the French presidency.

Macron: The EU will continue to support Ukraine for as long as the war lasts

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hailed the courage of the Ukrainian people, who “fight for freedom, democracy, independence and territorial integrity” shortly after the informal summit in Versailles. of his country “.

Macron underlined Europe’s decision to support Ukraine by sending weapons and humanitarian aid, but also its intention to take additional measures if necessary. Macron also said the EU would support Ukraine throughout the war, adding that the road to a united Europe was open. The French president also stressed the importance of Europe’s strategic autonomy, the need for which emerged, as he characteristically stated, during the pandemic. As for the future, he mentioned the food sector, the energy sector as well as the defense sector, where European cooperation should be intensified. In the field of defense, he stressed the need for EU member states to devote at least 2% of their GDP, and said that an extraordinary summit should be convened by June, when the NATO summit will take place. the object of which will be the formulation of a European strategy for the defense sector.

In the field of energy, Macron stressed the need to promote renewables in order to achieve the goals set by climate change. He also noted that due to the measures adopted against Russia, oil and gas prices will continue to rise. The French president has called for a plan to make Europe no longer dependent on gas, oil and coal imports from Russia.

Solz: An additional € 500 million in military aid to Ukraine is on the table

German Chancellor Olaf Solz has said that the European Union will agree to a proposal to double the bloc’s military aid to Ukraine, according to Reuters.

“I do not think anyone thought that [επικεφαλής εξωτερικής πολιτικής της ΕΕ] “Borrell may have been wrong to say that the European Union should address this issue further,” Soltz told reporters after a meeting of EU leaders in Versailles.

The German chancellor was responding to a question about whether the summit had agreed on Borrell’s proposal to double EU military aid. with another € 500 million available for this purpose. “This amount is on the table,” Soltz added.