MOSCOW: Vladimir Putin is ready to talk with France’s Emmanuel Macron over the war in Ukraine, the Russian president’s spokesman said in an interview published Sunday.
Putin has “expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron,” Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti.
“Therefore, if there is mutual political will, then this can only be assessed positively.”
Macron said this week he believed Europe should reach back out to Putin over ending the war.
“I believe that it’s in our interest as Europeans and Ukrainians to find the right framework to re-engage this discussion” in the coming weeks, the French president said.
European Union leaders agreed on Friday to give Ukraine a loan of 90 billion euros ($105 billion) to plug looming budget shortfalls as the conflict approaches the end of its fourth year.
But they failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to come up with the funds.
Putin ready to talk to France’s President Macron on war in Ukraine: spokesman
https://arab.news/wk2cq
Putin ready to talk to France’s President Macron on war in Ukraine: spokesman
Central African Republic president seeks third term in election
- Since Touadera was first elected in 2016, in the middle of a civil war, the CAR has seen unrest ease despite feuds between armed groups and the government in some regions
BANGUI: Voters in the Central African Republic cast their ballots for a new president on Sunday, with incumbent Faustin-Archange Touadera widely expected to win a third term after touting his success in steadying a nation long plagued by conflict.
Around 2.3 million people are eligible to vote, with parliamentary, municipal and regional polls taking place at the same time.
Escorted by members of the presidential guard, Touadera arrived at a high school to cast his own ballot.
He urged people to vote “to allow our country to develop, to allow our country to regain peace and security.”
“It’s a very important issue,” Touadera, 68, told reporters.
Streets in the capital Bangui were quiet, with armored vehicles of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA deployed at road junctions.
Heavy security was posted outside voting stations, and helicopters flew overhead at a school near where Touadera was voting, while a long queue had formed. Since Touadera was first elected in 2016, in the middle of a civil war, the CAR has seen unrest ease despite feuds between armed groups and the government in some regions.
“We need a leader elected by the people, not someone who takes power by force,” teacher Julie Odjoubi, 44, said, her left thumb stained with purple ink to show she had voted.
Touadera is in pole position to win in a seven-strong field, after a new constitution was adopted in 2023.
