The top diplomats of France and the UK reiterated the need to pressure Moscow for peace negotiations with Kyiv on the second day of the NATO foreign ministers meeting on Friday.
鈥淥ur responsibility as friends and partners of Ukraine is to build up the pressure on (Russian President) Vladimir Putin, to get him to sit at the negotiation table,鈥� French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said during a joint doorstep statement with his British counterpart David Lammy.
Lammy affirmed that they continue to 鈥渂ear down鈥� with sanctions to bring Russia to the negotiation table.
鈥淥ver the past three weeks, Russia has been flip-flopping, continuing its strikes on energy infrastructure (of Ukraine), continuing its war crimes,鈥� Barrot said, stressing that Moscow owes a 鈥渜uick鈥� response to Washington which had worked 鈥渧ery hard鈥� to come up with a ceasefire proposal.
Barrot also claimed that Putin was 鈥減rocrastinating鈥� and did not have any willingness for a ceasefire.
鈥淧utin continues to obfuscate, continues to drag his feet, he could accept a ceasefire now,鈥� Lammy noted.
He also reaffirmed that Russia continues to strike Ukraine and its energy supplies, saying: 鈥淲e see you, Vladimir Putin. We know what you are doing, and that is why we are pledged to continue to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, militarily, economically, over the humanitarian context that they need.鈥�
Lammy also said it was 鈥済ood鈥� to see Europe increasing its pledges for defense spending.
He further expressed his 鈥渞egret鈥� over reciprocal US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
鈥淲e are a nation that believes in open trade, and I regret the return to protectionism in the United States, something that we've not seen for nearly a century,鈥� Lammy said, assuring that they discuss a possible economic deal with Washington.
By Ilayda Cakirtekin
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr