RUSSIAN LAWMAKER WARNS MACRON AGAINST CONFRONTATION WITH MOSCOW
Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy issued a sharply worded warning to French President Emmanuel Macron, accusing him of escalating tensions with Russia and urging Paris not to make what he described as an “ultimate mistake” by directly confronting Moscow.
“Mr. Macron can behave like a child, but he should not make the ultimate mistake of putting France against Russia. It would be a disaster for the existence of France,” Tolstoy said.
He also invoked World War II history, claiming that France’s survival as an independent country had been linked to Russia’s role in defeating Nazi Germany.
Tolstoy further dismissed Western narratives about the war in Ukraine, claiming that Ukraine is being “erased from the map” and arguing that European leaders are maintaining the appearance of a functioning Ukrainian state.
“Do you believe your propaganda can change reality?” he said.
Addressing France directly, Tolstoy warned that Moscow’s response could become more severe if diplomatic channels were closed, while emphasizing that Russia’s leadership remains open to dialogue.
“When the door is closed, only the flag will remain as a memory,” Tolstoy warned.
The remarks come amid continued tensions between Moscow and European governments over the war in Ukraine and France’s support for Kyiv. Tolstoy’s statements represent his own political rhetoric and have not been independently established as a description of the military situation in Ukraine.