French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the ongoing fighting in Ukraine and the potential deal on a ceasefire agreement, the Kremlin said.
"Reacting to concerns expressed by Emmanuel Macron, the Russian president underscored that the Russian armed forces taking part in the special military operation are doing everything possible to preserve the lives of civilians," a readout released by the Kremlin said.
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A residential building in Mariupol after it was destroyed by Russian bombing
(Photo: Reuters)
Macron reportedly raised his concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Mariupol, which is besieged by the Russian invading force.
The Russian defense ministry said it was "tightening the noose" around the besieged southern port of Mariupol, where officials said more than 1,000 people may still be trapped in makeshift bomb shelters beneath a destroyed theatre.
Ukraine said it had rescued 130 people from the theatre's basement after the building was flattened by Russian strikes two days ago. Russia denies hitting the theatre and says it does not target civilians.
Putin used a rally before a packed soccer stadium on Friday to justify the invasion of Ukraine, promising tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags that all the Kremlin's aims would be achieved.
"We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans," Putin told a rally at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
He said the soldiers fighting in what Russia calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine had illustrated the unity of Russia.
"Shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time," he said.
Putin had said that the operation in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the "genocide" of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine.
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Residents of Kyiv distraught after residential area bombed by Russian invasion forces on Friday
(Photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine says it is fighting for its existence and that Putin's claims of genocide are nonsense. The West says claims it wants to rip Russia apart are fiction.
Meanwhile Russian negotiator to the talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky said Moscow and Kyiv are "half way there, on the issue of Ukraine's demilitarization, according to a report by Russian TASS.
U.S. President Joe Biden sought to prevent Beijing giving new life to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a video call with his Chinese counterpart earlier on Friday as stalled Russian forces pressed on with bombardments of towns and cities.
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Residents of Kyiv walk among destruction after Russian bombing of the city
(Photo: EPA)
China is the one big power that has yet to condemn Russia's assault and Washington says it fears Beijing may be considering giving Moscow financial and military support, something that both Russia and China deny.
Xi said conflicts such as the events in Ukraine were in no one's interests, and that NATO should hold talks with Russia to resolve the factors behind the conflict, Chinese state media reported, adding that the call had been at Biden's request.
The White House said only that the two men spoke for just under two hours. Earlier, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Xi should tell Russian President Vladimir Putin to end "this war of carnage" in Ukraine.