Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that he had discussed with Emmanuel Macron the latter’s visit to China, whose recent remarks have drawn criticism in Europe and the United States.
“I had a conversation of almost an hour and a half with French President Emmanuel Macron (…) The results of President Macron’s recent visit to China were discussed,” Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram on Saturday.
The French president had caused an outcry at the end of his state visit to China by saying that Europe should not automatically align itself with the United States or Beijing in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. He then said that being an “ally” of the United States did not necessarily mean being a “vassal”.
“Gratitude” by Volodymyr Zelensky
Emmanuel Macron’s visit to China had been dominated by discussions of the war in Ukraine, Beijing was a close partner of Moscow. Volodymyr Zelensky also said on Saturday that he had expressed his “gratitude” to Emmanuel Macron for “condemning the terrible inhumane execution of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian war criminals”.
This alleged execution was revealed in a viral video showing a Russian-speaking individual in uniform beheading with a knife a person who appeared to be a Ukrainian prisoner of war, images that caused shock and indignation in Ukraine and the West. Russian authorities said Thursday they are examining the footage to determine its authenticity.
“The two presidents discussed the steps to come in the organization of a summit for peace,” said the French presidency.
President Macron reiterated that “France stood alongside the Ukrainian and international courts so that no crime committed in the context of Russian aggression goes unpunished”, according to the Elysée.
