Putin to Macron: Ukraine invasion will continue ‘until the end’

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants all of Ukraine and will pursue the military route if his terms are not met, Emmanuel Macron has said.

The French president warned the “worse is to come” after a 90-minute phone call with Putin.

Macron held talks with Putin in a bid to ease tensions between Russia and the West. Putin told Macron the war in Ukraine is “going according to plan”, a French official said.

According to French officials, Macron told the Russian leader that he was making a “major mistake” in Ukraine, adding: “You are lying to yourself.”

Putin told Macron the invasion will continue “until the end” unless negotiations meet his terms. The Russian president wants to demilitarise and “denazify” Ukraine and insisted he would attain the goal by military means, of not by political and diplomatic means.

Macron reportedly replied that "Ukraine was not the Nazi regime and that his vision of Ukraine was not confronting reality".

After the call, Macron believes “worse is to come” in the unfolding humanitarian crisis and that Putin wants to seize the entire country, according to an aide.

Russian forces continued their relentless bombardment of Ukrainian cities on Thursday as the invasion entered its seventh day. As civilian deaths mount, thousands of Ukrainains are streaming into neighbouring countries to seek refuge from the war.

The UN estimates that more than one million Ukrainians have crossed into Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. More than half have escaped to Poland which shares a 500km border with Ukraine.

Russia took control of the major city of Kherson in the south and is besieging the port city of Mariupol where leaders have warned of “genocide” after water and power supplies were wiped out.

Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko claimed troops were attacking rail links in an apparent bid to prevent civilians from escaping.

The city is surrounded by Russian forces but Ukrainian officials say they still control it.

Meanwhile, a 64km-long convoy of Russian military vehicles outside Kyiv has remained almost static with British defence intelligence saying it is hampered by logistical problems and Ukrainian resistance.