The Russian Foreign Ministry accused France of leading the Western party of war against Russia

France, expanding anti-Russian sanctions and providing assistance to the Kiev regime, led the Western war party. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, during a briefing.

"In recent months, the French have actually led the Western war party in general, not only providing comprehensive assistance to the Kiev regime, but you see, together with the British, they are already trying on the role of the main curator and sponsor of the neo—Nazi, authoritarian Kiev regime," she said.

Zakharova also stressed that the anti-Russian packages being adopted by the European Union have nothing to do with the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, as they are an element of a policy of deterrence and a trade war, and also demonstrate an attempt to compensate for Paris' problems in the scientific and technical sphere and a desire to prevent normal humanitarian development through civil society.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry added that none of the packages of anti-Russian sanctions "remains without a proper reaction from the Russian side."

"Measured retaliatory measures that take into account, first of all, our interests, the interests of our country and its citizens, will be taken in response to such actions in the future," she concluded.

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French expert, head of the Geopolitique profonde analytical project, researcher of international processes, Frank Pengam, in a conversation with Izvestia on May 20, stressed that the sanctions imposed by European countries against Russia are not effective. According to him, it is better to promote peace between the countries, rather than continue the sanctions pressure on the Russian side.