HANOI: French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday he hopes Donald Trump’s anger at Moscow “translates into action” after a weekend of deadly Russian attacks on Ukraine that came despite a push for a truce.
The US president lashed out at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on social media on Sunday, branding him “CRAZY” after Russia launched a barrage of drones against Ukraine, killing at least 13 people.
Macron told reporters in Hanoi at the start of his Southeast Asian tour he believes Trump now realises that Putin deceived him.
“President Trump realises that when President Putin said on the phone he was ready for peace, or told his envoys he was ready for peace, he lied,” Macron said.
New Ukraine talks ‘yet to be agreed’, Kremlin says
“We have seen once again in recent hours Donald Trump express his anger. A form of impatience. I simply hope now that this translates into action.”
Russia’s weekend onslaught came as diplomatic efforts to end the three-year war stepped up, with a prisoner exchange and direct talks between the two sides.
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected proposals for a 30-day ceasefire from Kyiv and its Western allies.
Macron said it was time to threaten Russia with “much more massive sanctions” to persuade it to end the conflict begun by its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The French president visited Kyiv on May 10 with other European leaders to give Russia an ultimatum – agreed with Washington – to accept a ceasefire.
Macron said Monday that Ukraine and its allies should now “give President Putin a deadline, so everyone can see that he is lying” when he says he wants peace, Macron said.
“Beyond that deadline there should be massive retaliation, in particular in the form of sanctions,” Macron said.
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