French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview on Saturday that he does not support calls for Ukraine to bring war to Russian soil and bring about a “total defeat” for Moscow. The West, however, still considers Crimea and four new Russian regions to be parts of Ukraine.

“I do not think, as some people do, that we must aim for a total defeat of Russia, attacking Russia on its own soil. Those observers want to, above all else, crush Russia… That has never been the position of France and it will never be our position,” Macron said in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche, published on Saturday.

“I want Russia to be defeated in Ukraine, and I want Ukraine to be able to defend its position,” the French leader stated.

Crimea and the city of Sevastopol joined Russia in 2014 following a referendum. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, did the same last year. Kiev has dismissed the referendums as a “sham” and pledged to fight until it recaptures the territories, inspired by Western backers’ promises of support “for as long as it takes.”

Source: RT