Scholz And Macron Discuss Separately With Zelenskyy And Putin Prospects For Ukraine And Russia Peace Talks

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has discussed with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron the prospects for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Zelenskyy announced this on Twitter, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"We also discussed the prospects for peace talks. We must jointly stop the aggressor," Zelenskyy wrote.

He also said that he spoke with colleagues about countering the aggressor and Russia's crimes against the civilian population, and also asked for help in releasing the mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, kidnapped by the occupiers.

The press service of Scholz notes that he spoke with Zelenskyy in the morning, found out his assessment of the current situation, and they agreed to keep in touch.

It is reported that Scholz and Macron also had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday afternoon, these talks are part of an ongoing international effort to end the war in Ukraine.

During the 75-minute conversation, the Chancellor and the President of France called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and a diplomatic solution to the conflict, the participants in the conversation decided not to disclose the further content of the conversation.

In turn, the press service of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in information about Putin's telephone conversation with Scholz and Macron, said that the interlocutors raised the issue of the humanitarian situation in the areas of Russia's military operations in Ukraine, which Russia calls "a special military operation to protect the Donbas."

According to Putin, it is the Ukrainian security forces who violate the norms of international humanitarian law and disrupt operations to save the population.

The report notes that the President of Russia spoke in detail about the series of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives that took place in video format in recent days, in this regard, the leaders of the three countries considered some issues related to the agreements being worked out to implement known Russian requirements, and agreed to continue contacts on the Ukrainian issues.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, Zelenskyy said at a meeting with foreign media that negotiations with Russia are beginning to bring diplomatic signals, not ultimatums.