Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, called for the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war who left the Azovstal plant, France-Presse reported, citing the Elysee Palace.

"The President of France and the Federal Chancellor of Germany called for the release of about 2.5 thousand Ukrainian servicemen," the administration of the French leader said, explaining that they were Ukrainian security forces who had surrendered and were blocked on the territory of the Azovstal plant since April 21 .

Western leaders also demanded that Putin begin direct negotiations with Zelensky.

"The chancellor and the French president at the same time insisted on the immediate establishment of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops. They called on the Russian president to have serious direct negotiations with the Ukrainian president and search for a diplomatic solution to the conflict"
It is specified that the conversation took place on the initiative of the leaders of Germany and France.

Do they have any leverage to demand anything from Putin now? After flooding Ukraine with the limited arsenal of weapons Europe possess and yet still beaten blue-black by the Russians, they are still "demanding"? E be like say day neva break for Europe

The information is only for local consumption.
They have no leverage, none at all.
They must, however, appear to be winning. It's about the optics

Saifullah01:
Do they have any leverage to demand anything from Putin now? After flooding Ukraine with the limited arsenal of weapons Europe possess and yet still beaten blue-black by the Russians, they are still "demanding"? E be like say day neva break for Europe

Saifullah01:
Do they have any leverage to demand anything from Putin now? After flooding Ukraine with the limited arsenal of weapons Europe possess and yet still beaten blue-black by the Russians, they are still "demanding"? E be like say day neva break for Europe

Actually day don break! They have begun to change their tune. Their media which normally parrots Ukrainian media victories now albeit shamefully reports Russian daily but slow progress as they put it. They have realized that it is only a matter of time before the eventual fall of the Ukrainian state, so they want to preemptively stop it. Their sanctions war has totally collapsed, the entire world now knows better not to trust them and their monetary system, everyone is now diversifying their demand and supply chain, trade in local currency mechanism is on the rise globally, they suddenly realize that the world is not made up of the US/UK, a part of Europe, Australia, Japan and Canada.

Trust me, while hiding behind public bravados, the collective west actually sent both heads of state to try to lobby a ceasefire. They have also sent Erdogan who Putin actually respects to call tomorrow Monday. The question should be why the sudden urgency for peace? We thought they said Ukraine was capable of a win with their support?

Pouring money continuously into the war, in the long run, would not yield the desired outcome. I think they are trying to cut the loss and move on to another shiny object.

skoskosko:

Actually day don break! They have begun to change their tune. Their media which normally parrots Ukrainian media victories now albeit shamefully reports Russian daily but slow progress as they put it. They have realized that it is only a matter of time before the eventual fall of the Ukrainian state, so they want to preemptively stop it. Their sanctions war has totally collapsed, the entire world now knows better not to trust them and their monetary system, everyone is now diversifying their demand and supply chain, trade in local currency mechanism is on the rise globally, they suddenly realize that the world is not made up of the US/UK, a part of Europe, Australia, Japan and Canada.

Trust me, while hiding behind public bravados, the collective west actually sent both heads of state to try to lobby a ceasefire. They have also sent Erdogan who Putin actually respects to call tomorrow Monday. The question should be why the sudden urgency for peace? We thought they said Ukraine was capable of a win with their support?

skoskosko:

Actually day don break! They have begun to change their tune. Their media which normally parrots Ukrainian media victories now albeit shamefully reports Russian daily but slow progress as they put it. They have realized that it is only a matter of time before the eventual fall of the Ukrainian state, so they want to preemptively stop it. Their sanctions war has totally collapsed, the entire world now knows better not to trust them and their monetary system, everyone is now diversifying their demand and supply chain, trade in local currency mechanism is on the rise globally, they suddenly realize that the world is not made up of the US/UK, a part of Europe, Australia, Japan and Canada.

Trust me, while hiding behind public bravados, the collective west actually sent both heads of state to try to lobby a ceasefire. They have also sent Erdogan who Putin actually respects to call tomorrow Monday. The question should be why the sudden urgency for peace? We thought they said Ukraine was capable of a win with their support?

why does Putin respects erdogan? Not like erdogan has done russia any favours.. Have they?