Danone finalizes sale of assets and exits Russia
The French dairy products company Danone has finalized the sale of its Russian operations, accounting for about 5% of its global sales, after more than 30 years in the country.
France
Reuters: France, Netherlands want EU to sanction financial institutions that help Russian army
The proposed sanctions would prohibit anyone in the EU from doing business with any financial institution that helps the Russian military purchase dual-use goods and technologies.
Reuters: France to deliver additional air defense missiles, military aid shortly
France will deliver an unspecified number of air defense missiles, as well as additional military aid, over the coming days and weeks, Reuters reported on May 14.
Von der Leyen after meeting Xi: 'More effort needed' to curtail Chinese dual-use goods deliveries to Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting in Paris on May 6 to discuss Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, trade issues, and the Middle East.
Reuters: France to send ambassador to Putin's inauguration
Many European countries, such as the U.K., Estonia, Czechia, and others, have said they will boycott the inauguration ceremony.
Media: Chinese leader wants to work with international community to end war in Ukraine
China wants to work with France and the rest of the international community to end the war in Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly told French media outlet Le Figaro on May 5.
150,000 Russian soldiers killed during full-scale invasion of Ukraine, France says
"All of this for what? This can be summed up in two words: for nothing," Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne told Novaya Gazeta Europe on May 3.
Macron says he would consider sending troops to Ukraine in case of Russian breakthrough, Ukrainian request
French President Emmanuel Macron added that such conditions did not currently exist.
Bloomberg: Macron hopes to convince Xi to sway Putin toward ending invasion of Ukraine
Xi Jinping will travel to the European Union for the first time in five years. The Chinese president will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia, and Hungary on May 5, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
Kyiv Independent partners with French investigative outlet Mediapart
The Kyiv Independent and French investigative online newspaper Mediapart have launched a joint partnership, providing audiences of both outlets with more access to in-depth reporting.
Macron on Europe's defense: 'We are not equipped to face the risks'
"There is a risk our Europe could die. We are not equipped to face the risks," the French president said in his April 25 speech at the Sorbonne University in Paris.
Bloomberg: France proposes new sanctions to target Russian disinformation, election interference
The proposal "would target those responsible for threatening the stability, security or sovereignty of EU member states or third countries by undermining elections, the rule of law, facilitating acts of violence or do so through the use of information manipulation and interference," Bloomberg wrote.
Macron says he hopes for Olympic truce
"We want to work towards the Olympic truce and I think that this is an opportunity on which I will try to involve many of our partners," Macron said, speaking to BFMTV 100 days before the Olympics start in Paris.
Poll: Half of French youth willing to fight in Ukraine to defend France
The Institute for Strategic Studies of the Military School (IRSEM) and the General Directorate for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) surveyed 2,300 young people aged between 18 and 25 last summer.
Macron: France to participate in global peace summit in June
French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to the defense enterprise near Bordeaux, said that France will participate in the global peace summit, Ukrinform reported on April 12.
Politico: France imports growing levels of Russian LNG
France has paid Russia 600 million euros ($644 million) for liquified natural gas (LNG) imports in just the first three months of 2024, making it the fastest-growing consumer of Russian LNG in the EU, Politico reported on April 11.
Macron, Sunak agree to increase aid for Ukraine
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on April 8 and discussed further support for Ukraine, among other issues, as reported on the websites of the U.K. government and the Elysee Palace.
French FM: Discussions with Russia not in Paris's interest due to Moscow's false statements
Paris is no longer interested in discussions with Russia after Moscow published differing accounts on the latest call between French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said in an interview for France 24 on April 8.
UK, French foreign ministers urge to boost aid for Ukraine, saying 'we all lose' otherwise
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron and French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne called on allies to increase support for Ukraine in The Telegraph's article published on April 7.
Russian, French defense ministers call for first time since 2022
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu held a call with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu, and expressed "France's solidarity with the victims" of the mass shooting at the Crocus City concert hall outside Moscow on March 22, Le Monde reported on April 3.
WSJ: Macron privately pushed Biden, Scholz to adopt 'strategic ambiguity' toward Russia
French President Emmanuel Macron held confidential calls with U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in February to convince them about the need for strategic ambiguity toward Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on April 3, citing undisclosed official sources.
French FM wants 'China to send very clear messages to Russia' over Ukraine war
Following an inconsistent start, France, under the leadership of the increasingly outspoken President Emmanuel Macron, has become one of Ukraine's strongest supporters.
France to send Ukraine air defense missiles, armored vehicles
Paris will "unlock a new batch of Aster 30 missiles" for the SAMP/T MAMBA system, the French equivalent of the U.S. Patriot, in response to Ukraine's air defense shortage.
Can new security agreements forge Ukraine's path to victory?
In early 2024, Ukraine signed seven agreements with allied countries that span for the next decade, aiming to guarantee Ukraine’s security while negotiating NATO membership. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s diplomatic adviser, Ukraine is negotiating 10 more bilateral deals. The biggest question is whether the deals can prevent
Zelensky meets European parliamentary leaders to discuss assistance for Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky held meetings with the European Parliament's Renew Europe political group and the French National Assembly delegations on March 28, the Presidential Office reported.
Opinion: Russia's policy of torture on show in Moscow terror 'trial'
France suffered one of the darkest days in its modern history on Nov. 13, 2015, when over 130 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in a devastating terrorist attack in Paris. The epicenter of the attack was the Bataclan Theater, where a concert was taking place. Terrorists entered
Bloomberg: Macron seeking to convince Lula on Ukraine during Brazil trip
French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to convince his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Lula to support Ukraine during his trip to Brazil, Bloomberg reported on March 26.
French minister: Paris to soon deliver 78 Caesar howitzers, increase shell supplies to Ukraine
France will soon be able to supply Ukraine with 78 Caesar howitzers and has boosted its production of artillery rounds to meet Kyiv's most urgent needs, the Associated Press (AP) reported on March 26, citing French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu.
Macron: IS group behind Moscow attack 'made several attempts' to strike France
The Islamic State (IS) group, which claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall in a Moscow suburb last week, had recently made "several attempts" at attacks on French soil, French President Emmanuel Macron said on March 25.
Opinion: Troops in Ukraine? France-Germany spat plays into Putin's hands
Whoever doubts that Europe is in danger of an ominous divergence on Russia and Ukraine should take a look at the forced smiles of the “triple handshake” between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk when they met in Berlin last Friday, ostensibly
French army chief: Putin needs to know West could send troops to Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to understand that Western support for Ukraine could extend to troops on the ground, the chief of France’s Armed Forces, General Thierry Burkhard, said on March 21, as reported by AFP.
Russian, Belarusian athletes barred from Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Athletes from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to take part in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this summer, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on March 19.
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