European Council President Charles Michel said he “urged” immediate humanitarian access and safe passage from Mariupol and other besieged cities in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Michel “firmly reiterated the EU’s position: support for Ukraine and its sovereignty, condemnation and sanctions for Russian aggression,” he tweeted in his verified account on Friday.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Putin had “a long phone conversation” with Michelle.
“Developments in Ukraine have been discussed in detail. Charles Michel briefed Vladimir Putin on his contacts with the Ukrainian leadership during his recent trip to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
Putin “presented his principled assessments in connection with a special military operation to protect the republics of Donbass” and spoke about the measures taken continuously to protect the civilian population, the daily opening of humanitarian corridors and the declaration of a ceasefire for the safe evacuation of civilians. the war zone, “the Kremlin said.
“It was noted that after the liberation of Mariupol for humanitarian reasons, an order was issued to cancel the assault on the industrial zone of the Azovstal plant. At the same time, all servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, fighters of nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries who lay down their arms have a guaranteed life, dignified treatment in accordance with international law and the provision of qualified medical care. But the regime in Kyiv does not allow them this opportunity, “the Kremlin said.
“Attention has been drawn to the irresponsible statements of EU officials about the need to resolve the situation in Ukraine by military means, as well as ignoring the numerous war crimes committed by Ukrainian security forces,” the Kremlin said. “It was noted that Brussels could influence the authorities in Kyiv to force them to stop the massive shelling of settlements in Donbass and other gross violations of international humanitarian law.”
Some context: World leaders have been accusing Russia of committing war crimes for weeks. Mass graves and civilians were found in Bucha and outside Mariupol. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has called Ukraine a “crime scene” after the ICC officially launched an investigation into the situation in Ukraine on March 2nd. And just today, London police said they had received about 50 reports of alleged war crimes in Ukraine as they gathered evidence to help the ICC in its ongoing investigation.
In response to Michelle’s call for direct contact between Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, Putin “reaffirmed the well-known position on the issue, noting that such a possibility depends in particular on concrete results in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine talks. a time when the Ukrainian side is showing inconsistency and is not ready to seek mutually acceptable solutions. “
The Kremlin also reiterated baseless allegations that the leadership of “most” EU countries “indulges” in Russophobia, “which is manifested, for example, in the cultural, humanitarian and sports spheres.”
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