Telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz lasts for 75 minutes

A telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin informed French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lasted for 75 minutes. According to the TASS agency, Vladimir Putin informed Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz about violations by Ukrainian forces of international humanitarian law.

The Kremlin’s statement says that in response to his counterparts’ questions Putin briefed them on the real state of affairs concerning the humanitarian situation in the areas of the special military operation to defend Donbass.

"In particular, [the Russian president] cited numerous facts of gross breaches of international humanitarian law by Ukrainian forces, namely extrajudicial executions of dissenters, hostage taking, the use of civilians as human shields, the deployment of heavy weapons in residential areas - outside hospitals, schools, kindergartens and the like," the Kremlin said. "Simultaneously, nationalist battalions systematically disrupt rescue operations and intimidate civilians who attempt to evacuate."

"Vladimir Putin urged Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz to exert influence on the Kiev authorities so that such criminal actions would be stopped," the statement said.