The Daily Mail and AFP are reporting on a “bizarre and threatening” phone call between the French and Russian Defence Ministers that took place on Wednesday. There had been no such communications since Russia’s February, 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but in the wake of the ISIS terror attack on the Moscow suburb concert hall two weeks ago, Macron authorized the call as a way to help express sympathy for the victims and to indicate that France stood ready to help collaborate in a mutual battle against "terrorism” — going so far as to say that French intelligence had “useful information” they could share on the “origin and organization” of the attack.
Instead of taking the French up on their offer, the Russians doubled down on their accusations that Kyiv had a hand in the attack, and darkly warned they “hoped that the French secret services had not been involved” as well! Even more audaciously, the Russians characterized the phone call as a "readiness for dialogue on Ukraine" by the French, which was immediately torpedoed by the French — "France neither accepted nor proposed anything of the sort" on the conflict, a source close to [French Defence Minister] Lecornu told AFP.
Some in France also criticized Macron for this latest attempt to communicate with Moscow:
'You have seen how Russia exploits this kind of discussion,' former president Francois Hollande told broadcaster France Inter. 'My recommendation is no contact with Russia.'
Macron defended his stance, saying there will be 'joint work with all those affected by terrorism'.
When asked on Thursday whether he was concerned that Russia could disrupt the Paris Olympics, Macron stated that he believes the Kremlin will target the games, 'including in the informational [news] space'.
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'It seems to have been a failed gesture by France,' added Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, referring to the phone call.
'I don't think, however, that it suggests Macron is getting cold feet about possible boots on the ground. If anything, the exchange proves his point. Moscow is beyond any reasonable discussion with the West, even on subjects of mutual concern.'
Tatiana Stanovaya, head of political analysis firm R. Politik, said Moscow was 'flattered' to have received the call but sought to use it to its advantage to feed its anti-Ukrainian narrative and did not worry about any potential blowback.
'There is no positive agenda at all, no interest in resuming cooperation with France, either,' said Stanovaya.