Macron urged Putin to end military operations and protect Ukraine nuclear sites

French President Emmanuel Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end Russia's military operations in Ukraine and to ensure the protection and security of Ukraine's nuclear sites, said an official from Macron's office.

The French official confirmed that Macron had held a phone exchange of nearly two hours on Sunday with Putin.

Russian media had earlier reported the latest talks between Putin and Macron. Macron has stayed in regular contact with Putin but, as with other international efforts, has yet to persuade Moscow to call off a campaign now into an 11th day.

Putin said on Sunday that his campaign in Ukraine was going according to plan and would not end until Kyiv stopped fighting, as efforts to evacuate the heavily bombarded city of Mariupol failed for a second day in a row. 

Putin made those comments in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who appealed for a ceasefire in the conflict that the United Nations says has created the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two.

Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta

REUTERS