The Interview

In an interview with FRANCE 24, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court discussed the court's investigation into possible war crimes committed during Russia's war in Ukraine. Karim Khan expressed concern about civilians being targeted in Ukraine, warning that this constituted "a crime". Asked about possible ICC proceedings against Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, Khan said: "We'll see: is there individual criminal responsibility? And if there is, we will take the necessary action".

Exiled Russian Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in an interview with FRANCE 24 from London that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is political "suicide" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who "cannot win in Ukraine, even if he manages to take Kyiv or Kharkiv".  This war is the result of an "emotional decision" by Putin, the former oligarch said.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs told FRANCE 24 in an interview from the Latvian capital Riga on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to install a puppet regime in Kyiv. But, Rinkevics said, he believes such a plan "will fail", as the Kremlin doesn’t have the military capacity to occupy Ukraine and "winning over the minds of Ukrainians after what the Russians are doing is almost impossible".

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu reacted to the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. With more NATO troops and weaponry set to be deployed in Romania in the coming days, the top diplomat said that this move "cannot be seen as a provocation" but was instead a "legitimate response" by the Alliance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Asked about the humanitarian situation at the border, Aurescu said that Romania was open to "all those in need".

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili reacted to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Georgian leader said she was "not too convinced" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's assurances that he is willing to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Zurabishvili added that the only party that is escalating the war in Ukraine is Putin himself.

Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in an interview with FRANCE 24 from Kyiv that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "ready to use all possibilities" to achieve victory in Ukraine, including plans to target Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko granted an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, just a few kilometres away from Russian troops. Poroshenko, who was in power from 2014 to 2019, welcomed the "growing" Western support for his country, as well as the EU's decision to provide some €450 million in weapons to the Ukrainian military. He thanked EU leaders for their support, saying "we are not afraid of Putin" and "Putin is weak when we are together".

Russian forces have launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea. This is the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II. Speaking to FRANCE 24 in an exclusive interview, the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell slams Putin as untrustworthy: “After having said so many times that he is not going to invade Ukraine, and doing what he is doing now, it’s certainly not someone that you can trust”.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and its sister radio station Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mali’s Prime Minister Choguel Maiga said that since 2012, French authorities have tried to divide his country by fueling autonomy claims in the north. Maiga said it is clear Paris has never deemed the ruling junta government as legitimate, and claims it was “preparing a plan” to overthrow it.

FRANCE 24 spoke to Sir John Sawers, the former head of Britain’s secret intelligence service. Sawers, who headed the MI6 between 2009 and 2014, said that if Russia’s President Vladimir Putin decides to take military action against Ukraine, it would be in his interest to limit an invasion to eastern Ukraine. But, he cautioned: “There is no doubt that Russia has the capability to carry out a full invasion, take over Kiev, and install a puppet regime.”