Russian President Vladimir Putin has set "conditions that do not seem realistic" for a ceasefire in Ukraine, especially the suspension of Western military aid to Kiev, French government spokeswoman Sophie Prima said, a day after the Russian head of state spoke with his US counterpart Donald Trump, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
"Vladimir Putin has set conditions that do not seem realistic, at least for the Europeans and the Ukrainians, especially the suspension of all Western aid to Ukraine," she said after a meeting of the French government. "There is still a long way to go," she stressed.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky initially proposed a month-long ceasefire on water, air and energy infrastructure. The US and Ukraine later jointly formulated a 30-day ceasefire, which was not accepted after the phone call between Trump and Putin.
Sophie Prima also questioned the reality of the partial ceasefire, stating that Ukrainian energy facilities were subjected to Russian strikes that night.
"A conversation between President Trump and President Putin cannot end with an agreement until the Ukrainians themselves are part of the discussion and until the Europeans are part of the discussion," she stressed.
To this end, Macron speaks every day by phone with Trump, Zelensky and his European colleagues, she noted. According to Macron's close associates, he spoke with Trump again after his conversation with Putin, AFP notes.