French opposition leader highlights Turkish president's proposal for summit to end Ukraine war

By Esra Taskin

PARIS (AA) – A French opposition leader drew attention Tuesday to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal for convening a summit to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Speaking during a plenary session in parliament on a security agreement between France and Ukraine, French Communist Party National Secretary Fabian Roussel maintained that everything should be done to end the war and ensure a cease-fire

Arguing that negotiations will eventually be held between Russia and Ukraine, he said: "Let's not waste even a minute. Because every hour, every day, every week brings with it a lot of death and destruction.”

Last Friday, President Erdogan said that Türkiye was ready to host a Russia-Ukraine summit.

Speaking to reporters on his way home from Ukraine, he said he is ready to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy together.

“The tension between Russia and Ukraine is increasing, unfortunately...We are ready to make the necessary contribution to lower the tension,” he said, adding his Ukrainian counterpart is also ready to do his part in this direction.

Roussel noted that Russia also said it was ready for a cease-fire.

He added that support for Ukraine should be provided without crossing "red lines" to prevent France from going to war against Russia.

Noting that French President Emmanuel Macron's recent statement that he could not rule out the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine shocked the public, he said the security agreement signed by France with Ukraine will not calm the war.

Turning to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Roussel urged France to recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, stressing that this step would be a strong political action which would pave the way for other countries to make decisions in this direction.