EU’s Michel urges Putin to engage with Zelenskiy -EU official

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – European Council President Charles Michel in a phone call on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage directly with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, an EU official said.

In his call with Putin at 0800 GMT, Michel stressed in “no uncertain terms” the unacceptability of Russia’s war and detailed the sanction costs the European Union is imposing on Russia, the EU official said.

Michel also called for a ceasefire on the occasion of the upcoming Orthodox Easter and for safe passage for civilians seeking to leave besieged cities such as Mariupol.

The phone call followed Michel’s visit to Ukraine on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Marine Strauss; Writing by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Hugh Lawson)