We were right to help Ukraine, sanction Russia: Macron

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – As US President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House devolved into a fiery exchange, French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine's backers were right in supporting Kyiv and sanctioning Russia.

“There is an aggressor which is Russia and an attacked people which is Ukraine,” Macron told reporters in Portugal.

He said they were “right” to have supported Ukraine while sanctioning Russia, they will continue to do so.

"We must thank all those who helped and we must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning,” he added.

The public spat was over Zelenksyy’s doubts that Trump’s efforts to broker a deal to end the three-year-long war with Russia may not yield lasting peace.

Zelenskyy departed the White House following the argument, and a planned signing ceremony for a deal on critical minerals and press conference were canceled. ​​​​​​