Issued on:
French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Kyiv on Tuesday after offering Russia "concrete security guarantees" in an effort to dissuade Moscow from invading Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin vows to find compromise in response.
-
7 am Paris time
Macron heads to Kyiv after Putin compromise vow
Macron's trip to the Ukrainian capital comes after Putin told him Russia would "do everything to find compromises that suit everyone", raising the prospect of a path to de-escalating the volatile situation.
Putin said several proposals put forward by Macron at talks on Monday could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine.
"A number of his ideas, proposals… are possible as a basis for further steps," Putin said after more than five hours of talks at the Kremlin.
He did not provide any details but said the two leaders would speak by phone after Macron meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The French president said he had made proposals of "concrete security guarantees" to Putin.
"There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia," Macron said.
-
6:45 am Paris time
Biden says will end Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades Ukraine
US President Joe Biden said late on Monday that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will be stopped if Russia invades Ukraine and stressed unity with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as the West rallies to avert a war in Europe.
At a White House press conference with the new German leader, Biden, a longtime opponent of the decade-old, $11 billion pipeline project to Germany from Russia, said Russian forces crossing into Ukraine would trigger a shutdown.
"If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the … border of Ukraine again, then there will be … no longer a Nord Stream 2. We, we will bring an end to it," Biden said.
Asked how, given the project is in German control, Biden said: "I promise you, we'll be able to do it."
Scholz said the United States and Germany had the same approach to Ukraine, to Russia and to sanctions, but did not directly confirm the Nord Stream 2 plans or mention the pipeline publicly by name over the course of his day-long visit.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
Artmotion S.Africa
