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French President Emmanuel Macron meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Bregancon fortress on the Mediterranean coast near Bormes-les-Mimosas in southern France August 19, 2019. PHOTO/REUTERS
The French president made the strange remarks during an appearance Saturday on Les Rencontres du Papotin, a television program hosted by a group of autistic journalists.
Macron has been criticized by journalists on a number of issues, including his relationship with Putin.
“When you meet him like this, it’s not unpleasant. This is the paradox,” Macron said, adding: “No one justifies starting a war.”
The French president also spoke about the roots of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
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He stated that Putin’s real goal is the restoration of the Russian “kingdom”. However, Macron did not explain how exactly the ongoing hostilities could help achieve these purported goals.
“Basically, he launched this war to reclaim territory and extend Russia’s borders to the empire it once was. He bears a very heavy responsibility for himself, for his people, obviously for the Ukrainian people and for all of us. That’s how I see things,” Macron said.
The French president also warned of the misconception that Russian troops are somehow on the verge of defeat in Ukraine.
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