Macron should get an idea of the “committed by Russian soldiersgenocide“, Zelenskyy said. “I told him that I wanted him to understand that this is not a war, but nothing more than a genocide“, said the Ukrainian head of state in an interview on the US broadcaster CNN on Sunday.
In a phone call on Thursday, he invited Macron to come to Ukraine “if he has the opportunity,” Zelensky said. “He’ll come and see, and I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Zelenskyy’s government accuses the Russian army of using a “genocideUS President Joe Biden also spoke this week of a “genocide” against the Ukrainians. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Great Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson made similar statements.
Diplomatic tensions of Ukraine with Germany and France
The governments of Germany and France were more reluctant to assess alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine. Macron warned Thursday against an “escalation of words” that would not help Ukraine. “The word ‘genocide‘ has a meaning”, emphasized the French President. It is up to lawyers and not politicians to come to an assessment in this regard.
Zelenskyj then declared that Macron’s statements were “very painful” for Ukraine.
In the CNN interview, the Ukrainian President also expressed hope that Biden would soon visit Kyiv. The decision to do so is “of course” up to the US President and depends on security conditions, Zelensky said. “But he’s the President of the United States, so he should come and see for himself.”
From Washington it was said recently that the visit of a US government envoy to Kyiv would be examined. However, government officials have so far ruled out a visit from the 79-year-old President himself.
Source: Nachrichten
