 "Emanuel Macron, Emanuel, Marseille mayor, Benoit Payan")
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday stated that he had no doubt Russia would attempt to attack the upcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled for July this year.
"I have no doubt whatsoever, including in terms of information," Macron said.
His remarks came a day after a public fallout in media briefings between the two nations following a rare phone call between the French and Russian defence ministers.
After the call, a statement from Russia suggested it believed France and Ukraine could be involved in the recent Moscow attack. The Russian Defence Ministry quoted its Minister, Sergei Shoigu, as telling his French counterpart that Ukraine does not act without the approval of its “Western handlers" in the context of the attack. "We hope that the French special services weren't involved in it," the Russian statement said.
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An upset Macron responded by saying the comments were ridiculous. "They were baroque and threatening, which is nothing new for Russia," he said.
Russia's remarks are ridiculous, says Macron
"It makes no sense and doesn't fit with reality to say that France could be behind it (the Moscow attack) and that the Ukrainians are behind it," he said. "But it's a manipulation of information, which is part of Russia's arsenal of warfare today," Macron added.
A French statement following the phone call said its minister, Sébastien Lecornu, firmly condemned the March 22 attack and also confirmed that France had no information linking this attack to Ukraine.
He also condemned Russia's war in Ukraine and said France would continue to support Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to link Ukraine and the West to the concert attack, which Kyiv has denied. The Islamic group ISIS has taken responsibility for the incident.
