Ambassador says major French companies will continue to work in Russia

A number of major French companies continue their work in Russia, including unofficially, despite the Western sanctions. This was stated by Russian Ambassador to Paris Alexei Meshkov on February 7.

"There are a number of companies - I don't want to name them because it might embarrass them - but there are a number of large companies that both officially and semi-officially remain in our market," he told RIA Novosti.

According to Meshkov, despite the restrictions, Russia and France maintain cooperation in small volumes. He specified that the European country buys liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertilizers from Russia, while the Russian side imports pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

"These are the main import items from France today, although, of course, direct French investments were made at one time, and some production facilities remain," the Russian ambassador concluded.

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Earlier, on December 28 last year, former French MEP Hervé Juvene said in a conversation with Izvestia that the EU's anti-Russian sanctions have not worked, and Russia has only strengthened its economy against their backdrop. He pointed out that Europe and the citizens of European countries suffer first of all from the restrictions.

Before that, on December 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Western sanctions were intended to contain Russia, but became an impetus for the development of its own domestic technologies. Now the country has everything necessary to make a breakthrough in the technological sphere, said the head of state.

On October 25, Duma deputy Nikolai Arefyev reminded that even now, in the conditions of political confrontation between Russia and the West, the parties continue trade relations where it remains possible. According to him, once the Ukrainian conflict is over and the anti-Russian sanctions are lifted, foreign companies will start to actively return to the Russian market.

Western countries have increased sanctions pressure on Russia in connection with the special operation to protect Donbas. The decision to launch it was announced on February 24, 2022, amid the aggravation of the situation in the region.