French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu spoke on the telephone on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Choïgu, a first since October 2022.
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President Emmanuel Macron denounced Thursday April 4 the “baroque and threatening comments” of Russia after the meeting the day before between the French and Russian defense ministers, who gave radically different versions. On Wednesday, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu spoke on the telephone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Choïgu, a first since October 2022. Russia notably said “hope” that the French secret services were not involved in the attack in Moscow (Russia), which left at least 144 dead.
“It’s ridiculous, it’s saying that France could be behind, that the Ukrainians are behind (…). All that makes no sense”commented Emmanuel Macron on the occasion of the inauguration in Saint-Denis, in the Paris suburbs, of an aquatic center for the Paris Olympic Games, denouncing comments “Russian side (…) baroque and threatening“. “It is a manipulation of information which is part of the arsenal of war as it is used today by Russia”he continued.
The initiative provoked its share of reactions in France. Former President François Hollande recommended that the government not maintain “no contact” with Russia after “instrumentalization” made by Moscow.
