How many heads of state discuss the war in Ukraine with Vladimir Putin? According to Stanislas Guerini, general delegate of La République en Marche, there is only one leader in the world who discusses with the Kremlin: “Today, Emmanuel Macron is the only head of state who continues to speak with Vladimir Putin at Putin’s request about what should be taken into account “, he said on Monday, March 7, in the Public Senate.
Is it worth continuing the conversation with Putin? “We must keep this channel at all costs. Today @Emmanuel Macron – the only head of state who continues to talk to him at the request of Putin. It should be noted,” says @StanGuerini #HelloHouse pic.twitter.com/sAlZUSd1g7
— Public Senate (@publicsenat) March 7, 2022
What Stanislas Guerini claims is wrong. If you look at Vladimir Putin’s diary, which is published on the Kremlin’s website, you can read that since the beginning of the war two weeks ago, the Russian president has received 24 visits or calls from abroad. And only four cases when Emmanuel Macron was on the other end of the line.
Who is Vladimir Putin talking to? First, there are several friendly countries such as Belarus and Kazakhstan. A little further Syria or Venezuela. According to the Kremlin, these countries support or approve of Moscow’s actions.
Among the countries with more weight in the international arena, China stands out in particular, which, according to Russia, called for a “constructive and friendly” conversation the day after the offensive. We can also add to the list: the visit to Moscow this weekend by the Israeli Prime Minister, who is trying to mediate just like the President of Turkey or the Prime Minister of India, who took their phones to discuss Russia with the President.
On the part of the Westerners, the line was not completely cut. If there was no direct call with Joe Biden, then Vladimir Putin spoke with European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
However, Emmanuel Macron remains a special interlocutor. Along with the Israeli prime minister, the French president is the head of state with whom Vladimir Putin has spoken the most since the crisis began. This can be explained, in particular, by the fact that at the beginning of the year France took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union in turn, and also by the fact that the two leaders know each other well. Vladimir Putin became the first head of state that Emmanuel Macron received after his election. And since 2017, about forty telephone conversations between two men have been recorded on the Champs Elysees, not counting such meetings as the last visit, shortly before the war, at a very long table in the Kremlin.