Le Drian: No breakthrough in Russian-Ukrainian talks
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian believes that there is no significant retreat or ceasefire in reference to the war in Ukraine.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday, "I don’t see any signs indicating a real and long-term change in Russia’s position."
In an interview with Le Figaro newspaper, he added that "even though its troops are moving slower than the Kremlin expected, I don’t currently see any significant retreat or ceasefire."
"The so-called regime of silence that Russia announced for a few hours in Mariupol yesterday was clearly not enough," he stressed.
Commenting on whether Macron should maintain dialogue with Putin, the top French diplomat tersely stated "yes, because we need to show persistence and determination to create ties that would one day help build dialogue between Putin and [Ukrainian President] Zelensky."
However, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has affirmed on Thursday that the positions of Russia and Ukraine have come a little closer, stressing that his country had been approached to serve as a guarantor of a potential peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine.
This week, the parties met again in Istanbul, Turkey, to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
