#Calling #Moscow #real #headache #French
Paris says the call was intended to discuss the joint fight against terrorism, but the Kremlin says the ministers also discussed possible negotiations on war in Ukraine. Also, Moscow did not miss the opportunity to share not very disguised threats to France.
After the call, Moscow hinted at the alleged connection of the French special services with last month’s attack in Moscow a terrorist attack, for which the Islamic State officially claimed responsibility. Moscow, without any evidence, is trying to shift the blame to Ukraine.
“The Kyiv regime does nothing without Western orders. We hope that in this case the French secret services are not involved,” S. Shoigu said on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the French president Emmanuel Macron condemned what it called “strange and menacing” Russian comments.
A French official who spoke to Politico on Thursday denied Moscow’s interpretation.
An earlier statement from France’s defense ministry said in a phone call that Mr Lecornu called on Russia to stop “manipulating” the terrorist attack in Moscow, adding that “France does not have any information that could link the attack to Ukraine”.
The war of words between Paris and Moscow is another proof of how bad their bilateral relations are. They were particularly upset after Macron finally stopped looking for a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and warned that Western forces could be sent to Ukrainian territory to defeat Russia.
Recently, France has also had to endure an increasing number of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting French First Lady Brigitte Macron and accusing France and Poland of plans to divide Ukraine.
Former French President Francois Hollande recommends that the country’s authorities try to “not have any contact with Russia”. “Do you see how Russia is manipulating those discussions and throwing hints that France could have supported the terrorist attack in Moscow?” the politician told the France Inter radio station.
Russia also claims that S. Lecornu and S. Shoigu discussed possible negotiations on Ukraine, which was immediately denied by the French side. “The purpose of the call was to discuss the fight against terrorism, and the narrative that France is open to talks on Ukraine is false,” said one French government official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
According to the French version, S. Lecornu suggested that Russia cooperate more actively with France in the fight against terrorism – especially now that Paris is preparing for the summer Olympic Games and continues Israel’s War with Hamas in Gaza.
On Wednesday, former French defense minister and current ambassador to Lebanon Jean-Yves le Drian condemned the “abhorrent and intolerable” manipulation of the call by the Russians: “This is extreme manipulation. We faced a terrible manipulation and an attempt to turn terrorism into a propaganda tool.”
The conversation between the defense ministers of Russia and France was the first since October 2022, when it was initiated by S. Lecornu at the request of E. Macron.
