Ukrainian FM Kuleba urges France to call atrocities in Ukraine a 'genocide'
2022-04-15
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In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged France and President Emmanuel Macron to call atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine a "genocide”. Macron earlier this week refused to use the term, a decision that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called "painful". Kuleba welcomed the latest weapons deliveries from Kyiv's international partners, especially from the US, but urged Germany to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons. The top diplomat also conceded that the future of the war will be decided "on the battleground" and not at the negotiating table.
Speaking to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv, Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia had carried out missile strikes on several cities, including the capital, overnight on Friday. He rejected the idea that this was in response to the sinking of the Moskva, Russia's flagship missile cruiser in the Black Sea, saying that Russia did not need a reason since it has been waging war with Ukraine for weeks now.He refused to formally confirm that the sinking of the Moskva was caused by a Ukrainian missile strike, but said Ukraine was "not afraid to hit targets which pose a threat". Kuleba dismissed concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin needing to save face, saying that Putin "has to be defeated by all means: militarily, politically and economically".Kuleba said that the crimes committed by Russia in the southeastern port city of Mariupol were even worse than those seen in Bucha and that Russia was covering up evidence of its crimes through the use of mobile crematoriums.Future of war will be decided 'on the battleground'The top diplomat admitted that these atrocities were "complicating" talks with Russia, saying the curr... Go on reading on our web site.
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