French President Emmanuel Macron greets a guest at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

PARIS, June 11 (Reuters) – France does not want to make concessions to Russia and wants Ukraine to win the war against invading forces from Moscow by restoring its territorial integrity, a French presidential official said on Friday. as Paris seeks to allay concerns over its position. in the conflict.

President Emmanuel Macron has come under fire from Ukraine and its Eastern European allies after he published interviews on Saturday quoting him as saying it was vital not to “humiliate” Russia so that in the end fighting, there can be a diplomatic solution. Read more

“As the president said, we want a Ukrainian victory. We want Ukraine’s territorial integrity to be restored,” the official told reporters when asked about Macron’s humiliating comments.

Macron has spoken regularly with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the February 24 invasion as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire and start a credible negotiation between Kyiv and Moscow, although he does not had no tangible success to demonstrate.

“There is no spirit of concession towards Putin or Russia in what the president says. When he speaks to him directly, it is not a compromise, but to say how we see things,” the official said. .

France is also ready to help provide access to the port of Odessa, where some Ukrainian grain stocks are ready for export, the official said.

“We are at the disposal of the parties to set up an operation that would allow safe access to the port of Odessa,” the official said.

The official did not specify what this assistance would consist of.

The Black Sea, where Odessa is located, is crucial for the shipment of grain, oil and petroleum products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian government officials estimate that 20 million tonnes of grain cannot travel from what was the world’s fourth largest exporter before the Russian invasion. Read more

Defending Macron’s position, the official said a negotiated solution to the war would be needed. He added that Paris was a key supporter of the sanctions and provided strong military support to Ukraine.

Some Eastern and Baltic partners in Europe see Macron maintaining an open dialogue with Putin as undermining efforts to push Putin to the negotiating table.

Macron will travel to Romania and Moldova on June 14 and 15 to show France’s support for two of the countries most exposed to events in Ukraine.

France has about 500 troops on the ground in Romania and has deployed a surface-to-air missile system as part of a NATO battle group it leads there. The official said Macron would visit French troops to underscore Paris’ commitment to the alliance.

Macron did not go to Kyiv to offer token political support as other EU and Ukraine leaders have done. The presidential official did not rule out a visit from Macron.

Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and John Irish; Additional reporting by Mathieu Rosemain Editing by Grant McCool and Frances Kerry

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