French officials have dismissed claims by Russia’s defense minister that Ukraine and France may have had a role in a deadly attack in Moscow last month. French President Emmanuel Macron called the remarks “ridiculous” and emphasized that France had no involvement in the attack. Macron’s comments followed a rare phone call between the French and Russian defense ministers, which led to differing statements from each side. The Russian Defense Ministry quoted Sergei Shoigu as suggesting that Ukraine and France could have been behind the attack, prompting strong condemnation from France’s defense ministry.
The attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall on March 22 resulted in the deaths of 145 people, making it the deadliest assault on Russian soil in decades. Despite denials from Ukraine and France, Russia has continued to push the narrative that the attack may have been orchestrated by Western countries. The French defense ministry stated that France had no information linking the attack to Ukraine and condemned Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu also reiterated France’s support for Kyiv and rejected the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine.
The phone call between the Russian and French defense ministers marked the first contact between the two since October 2022. Macron stated that the call was initiated by France’s willingness to share information on the Moscow attack and engage in joint efforts against terrorism. Russia has been accused of manipulating information and spreading misinformation as part of its warfare tactics. Despite claims from Russian officials, the attack in Moscow was claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group, with an advance warning issued by the U.S. to Moscow prior to the attack.
President Vladimir Putin and his officials have consistently tried to link Ukraine and the West to the Moscow attack, despite the lack of conclusive evidence supporting these claims. Macron’s dismissal of Russia’s accusations highlights the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western countries, particularly in the context of the conflict in Ukraine. As France continues to support Ukraine and condemn Russia’s actions in the region, diplomatic relations between the two countries remain strained. The differing narratives surrounding the Moscow attack underscore the challenges of navigating international relations in an era of disinformation and geopolitical tensions.
