Kyiv, 02 Mar (RT)- In their phone call Thursday, President Putin told French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the tasks of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine would be fulfilled in any case, and urged him to join efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of foreign citizens from Ukraine.

Putin explained that it was about demilitarization and the neutral status of Ukraine, so that a threat to Russia would never come from its territory, and that attempts to gain time by delaying negotiations would only lead to the emergence of new demands on Kiev.