This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
The leaders of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy have warned against the West dropping its guard against Russia after Moscow signaled it would scale down fighting around two Ukrainian cities.
“They agreed there could be no relaxation of Western resolve until the horror inflicted on Ukraine is over,” the leaders said, according to a readout on March 29 from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office.
Russia’s announcement that it would reduce military activity in areas around Kyiv and Chernihiv came after talks with Ukraine in Turkey on March 29.
Johnson and U.S. President Joe Biden have expressed skepticism over Russia’s statement.
“The prime minister underscored that we must judge Putin’s regime by their actions not their words,” Johnson’s office said. “Putin is twisting the knife in the open wound of Ukraine in an attempt to force the country and its allies to capitulate.”
Biden said he wouldn’t place any credence in what Russia said “until I see what their actions are.”
Both Biden and Johnson stressed that the West’s response should remain unified and strong.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin after his call with Biden and the other Western leaders.
Putin told Macron that Ukrainian “nationalists” in the embattled city of Mariupol must lay down their arms, according to a Kremlin statement.
“It was stressed that in order to resolve the difficult humanitarian situation in this city (Mariupol), Ukrainian nationalist militants must stop resisting and lay down their arms,” the statement said.
The conditions for carrying out a humanitarian operation to help citizens in the besieged Ukrainian port city are not met “at this stage,” Macron’s office said.
Macron outlined to Putin details of the mission that France, Turkey, and Greece would oversee, but the Russian leader replied that he would think about it before responding, an Elysee Palace official said.
