French President Emmanuel Macron has said Ukraine would never have peace if the ultimate aim of the conflict in the country is to “crush Russia.”

The French leader said, ”some say that the goal of this war is to crush Russia. And that’s where I say you’re wrong. If you do that, you’ll never get a negotiated peace.”

Macron spoke with CNN affiliate BFMTV on Friday on board a train leaving Ukraine, adding that crushing Russia is not Zelenksy’s goal either.

“President Zelensky defends his land. And we want to help him do so,” Macron said, adding that “commentators or certain leaders shouldn’t push beyond even what the Ukrainians intend.”

“And so it has been the role of France to put a limit to this question,” he said, adding, “we have sometimes won the war and lost the peace.”

Macron affirmed France’s support for Ukraine and countered charges that his previous comments about not wishing to “humiliate Russia” had hampered relations with Ukraine’s president.