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By John Helmer, Moscow
  @bears_with

The morning public record issued by the Kremlin of the talks yesterday in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and President Emmanuel Macron remains for the moment in Russian.    The official English transcript will follow later today.

The two presidents met for almost six hours, and then held a press conference for just over one hour. The unofficial translation into English runs for about 7,000 words, including names and reporters’ questions.  

To understand the significance what the two state officials have said, it is necessary to read their words, and to count their key words.

This count will explain the meaning of Macron’s declaration that peace, security, and stability in Europe, and in the Ukraine, are for Europeans to agree with Russia.  “President Putin and I agree,” Macron said. “Russia is a European country. Anyone who sees Europe should be able to work with Russia, find ways to build a future in Europe and with Europeans.” As for what those ways are in the Ukraine, Macron declared: “The solution of the Ukrainian issue can only be political, and the basis of this solution can be these Minsk agreements. The Normandy format is the right format, I repeat, around the table, in this format Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. We continue our efforts within the Normandy format in order to fully implement the Minsk Agreements and to resolve the conflict in the Donbas.”

This is the part to read. Now go to the count.

WHAT EUROPEAN STATES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY PRESIDENTS PUTIN AND MACRON IN THEIR FEBRUARY 8, 2021, NEGOTIATIONS AT THE KREMLIN
(in order of magnitude)

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