French FM urges Kremlin to “open its eyes” after reported retreat

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Russian forces retreated by approximately 120 square kilometres in Ukraine in April, describing it as the first such territorial setback in three years.

In a post on X cited by Caliber.Az, Barrot linked the reported development to broader pressure on Moscow, including economic challenges.

Les armées de Vladimir Poutine ont reculé de 120 km2 en Ukraine au mois d'avril, une première depuis 3 ans. L'économie russe s'enfonce dans la crise. Il est grand temps pour le Kremlin d'ouvrir les yeux sur son échec, et de mettre fin à sa guerre d'agression injustifiable et…

— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) May 6, 2026

“Vladimir Putin's army retreated by 120 km² on Ukrainian territory in April, for the first time in three years. The Russian economy is sinking into crisis. It is time for the Kremlin to open its eyes to its failure and put an end to this unjustified and ruinous war of aggression,” he said.

By Tamilla Hasanova