Putin, Macron discuss Ukraine in phone call

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday discussed the latest situation in Ukraine in a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the Kremlin said.

Responding to Macron’s concerns over the safety of civilians in Ukraine, Putin said Russia has been doing “everything possible” to preserve the lives of civilians, including through humanitarian corridors, a Kremlin statement said.

During the phone call, Putin accused Ukrainian security forces of committing “war crimes” with “massive missile and artillery shelling” on Donbass.

The two leaders also discussed talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives and Moscow’s stance on how a deal could be achieved, according to the Kremlin.

Macron, for his part, called on Putin to take “concrete and verifiable measures to lift the siege of Mariupol,” French BFM TV quoted Elysee officials as saying.

The French president also reinforced the demand for an immediate cease-fire.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the Russian armed forces laid siege around Mariupol city, and on Wednesday targeted a theater where more than 1,000 civilians had taken shelter.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 130 people have been taken out alive and hundreds are still trapped under the rubble. Russia has denied responsibility for the attack.

Macron and Putin also agreed to further maintain contacts, the Kremlin statement said.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial restrictions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

At least 816 civilians have been killed and 1,333 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, the UN said, while noting that figure is actually probably higher.

More than 3.27 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN refugee agency.

*Shweta Desai in Paris contributed to this story.