[Thread] After more than 6 hours of discussions, the joint press conference between Presidents Macron & Putin confirmed that disagreements with 🇷🇺 are still deeply entrenched but that diplomacy is still a viable option to lower tensions. A 🧵 on the remarks of the 🇫🇷 President 👇 https://t.co/NhfZVbJ12w

"Today we are aware of the gravity of the situation and of the imperative need to find a way to preserve peace and stability in Europe. We just had a substantive exchange focused on current tensions and ways to de-escalate."

"You [President Putin] have just reminded us of Russia's vision on NATO, its security interests or Ukraine. [...] We have to accept our differences of opinion."

"I believe in Europe and the unity of Europe. NATO's open door policy has been agreed collectively and is essential and existential for countries like Sweden or Finland. It would be surprising to tell them that NATO is suddenly changing its line."

"On the other hand, we must consider the successive misunderstandings, the traumas, accumulated over the last three decades and the need to build new terms that will allow stability and security in the region."

"I do not believe that this will be achieved through a revision of the agreements built over the last 30 years, nor of our fundamental principles, nor by limiting the rights of certain Europeans."

"The first issue on which we need to work is finding ways of preventing an escalation. The current accumulation of tensions carries the risk of a brutal deterioration that would not be in anyone's interest."

"It is our shared responsibility to agree on concrete measures to stabilize the situation. These measures depend on the consultations that are underway, notably with the United States, NATO and European countries."

"Secondly, a lasting de-escalation requires progress on the security guarantees necessary to build a new order of security and stability in Europe."

"This order has a foundation that we have built and agreed upon together as sovereign states. This foundation is the founding principles affirmed in the Paris Charter and in the OSCE declarations."

"These principles have been violated, in particular the respect for the territorial integrity of States, the non-use of force, non-intervention in internal affairs, and respect for human rights. "

"Regardless of the historical interpretation we make of the crises, the security of our continent requires that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. We cannot build our present or our future by ignoring this."

"We cannot run the risk of seeing the spectre of confrontation, spheres of influence, instability and disorder returning to Europe."

"I do not believe that we are condemned to choose between new rules and no rules. We can build stability and security in Europe by reaffirming and respecting the acquis of the OSCE, but also by building new solutions to provide tangible security guarantees."

These guarantees could include "limiting military deployments, transparency of conventional military activities in Europe, transparency on missile defense, control and limitation of intermediate-range missiles."

"The third topic is the settlement of the 🇷🇺🇺🇦 conflict. We are continuing our efforts in the Normandy format for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. The last meeting in Paris notably led to an unconditional agreement to respect the ceasefire."

"I would like to commend the efforts of President Zelensky, in particular his commitment to withdraw bills that were not in accordance with the Minsk agreements" and to "salute his self-control as 125,000 Russian troops are deployed on 🇺🇦 borders".

"The next few days and weeks will be marked by contacts that we will intensify with all our European partners, our allies, Ukraine and the countries of the region. [...] This is the beginning of a process".

President Macron notably mentioned his upcoming visit to Kyiv, then to Berlin to meet with his 🇩🇪 & 🇵🇱 counterparts, and indicated that he will have another phone call with President Putin in the coming days. [End]