Mariupol mayor says discussed civilian evacuations with French ambassador

The mayor of the besieged city of Mariupol said on Saturday he had spoken to France's ambassador to Ukraine about options for evacuating civilians, after French President Emmanuel Macron said he would propose to Russia a plan to help people leave.

Speaking on national television, Mayor Vadym Boichenko said the situation in the encircled city remained critical, with street fighting taking place in its centre.