There has been no major progress in the negotiations

There has been no major progress in the negotiations.

There has been no “major progress” in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and the horrors witnessed over the weekend in the Ukrainian city of Bucha are not helping the talks, a source at the Elysee Palace said on Tuesday.

“Bucha’s shock is not in favor of progress in the negotiations,” the source told a news conference after an hour-long phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

The source added that Zelensky was still inclined to “hold and advance talks with the Russians”, as well as the mediating role of France.

The two leaders discussed concrete measures to be taken to “ensure that Russia’s crimes do not go unpunished,” the source said, including France’s offer last week to send additional funding to the International Criminal Court.

Macron reiterated the country’s readiness to contribute to the investigation and documentation of violence against civilians.

The meeting also discussed the situation in the besieged city of Mariupol, and Zelensky informed Macron that only 2,000 people could leave this week because “the Russians were blocking” the evacuation corridors.