Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel spoke again by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who explained to him that the images of attacks on civilians in Ukraine were “intolerable” and that he pleaded for negotiation and a ceasefire.
And Bettel explained in a statement that this is the second time he has spoken with Putin this week, which, in his opinion, reveals “the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine.”
“You already know the motive behind my calls,” the Luxembourg leader told Putin, who demanded “de-escalation, adoption of a ceasefire and commitment to the negotiation process.”
Bettel noted that, in the last conversation with Putin, he had already defended his preference for a negotiated solution to the conflict, but emphasized that the situation on the ground, “already disastrous, had worsened”, especially in the city of Mariupol.
“I was deeply shocked by the attacks on civilian installations. “The images we are seeing are unbearable,” said the Luxembourg prime minister.
That is why he insisted on inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold negotiations “at the highest level, from president to president, in a face-to-face meeting.”
This tragedy must end and this ongoing attack on Ukraine must stop immediately. Nobody has anything to gain from these clashes, neither Russia nor Europe and certainly not Ukraine,” Bettel repeated, explaining that the conversation with Putin was “frank” and that the two sides promised to stay in touch.
The Luxembourg prime minister confirmed that he would inform the Ukrainian authorities of the conversation with Putin.
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