French President Emmanuel Macron has declined to endorse accusations by his US counterpart Joe Biden, that Russia is committing "genocide" in Ukraine – warning that verbal escalations would not help end the war. Ukraine's Volodymr Zelensky decribed France's reaction as "painful".
Biden on Tuesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces of committing genocide in Ukraine, saying it had become "clearer and clearer" that Putin was seeking "to wipe out the idea of even being able to be a Ukrainian".
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday agreed it was "right" for people to start using the word genocide in terms of what Russia was doing.
Earlier this month Macron said Russia "must answer for crimes" following the images of murdered civilians in Bucha near Kyiv.
But speaking to France 2 television on Wednesday, he added that leaders needed to be careful with the language they used.
"So far it has been established that war crimes were committed by the Russian army, and that it is now necessary to find those responsible and bring them to justice," Macron said.
"But at the same time I look at the facts and I want to try as much as possible to continue to be able to stop this war and to rebuild peace.
"I am very careful with some terms these days ... I'm not sure the escalation of words is helping the cause."
'Terrible war'
Macron's caution echoed that of many European leaders who have also refrained from using the term "genocide" in relation to Ukraine, reiterating instead the need for a full investigation into potential war crimes by Moscow, and bringing those responsible to account.
The International Criminal Court, backed by 40 governments, is investigating alleged war crimes in Ukraine by Russian troops.
- France sends forensic doctors to Ukraine to probe Russia's 'war crimes'
- France to help ICC with investigations into massacres blamed on Russian forces in Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday spoke of war crimes in Ukraine but also steered clear of mentioning genocide.
"This is a terrible war in Eastern Europe, and I think that's what shouldn't be minimised," Scholz told German radio RBB.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is among the EU leaders who has used the term genocide.
'Brotherly' people
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Macron's refusal to categorise the killings in Ukraine as genocide.
"Such things are very painful for us, so I will definitely do my best to discuss this issue with him," Zelensky said at a press conference with the visiting leaders of Poland and the Baltic states on Wednesday.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, also took issue at the French leader's claim that Ukrainians and Russians were "brotherly peoples" as justification of being careful with language.
This "myth began to crumble in 2014" when Russia annexed Crimea, Nikolenko said, adding there was "no longer any moral or real reason to talk about fraternal ties".
- Russia rejects war crime, genocide claims following Mariupol hospital attack
- Macron warns against 'escalation' after Biden brands Putin 'butcher'
The comments by Macron, who has kept dialogue going with Putin during the conflict, echo concerns the French leader expressed last month after Biden called Putin a "butcher".
In his interview with France 2, Macron indicated he would be holding new telephone talks with both Putin and Zelensky in the coming days.
(with wires)
