France boosts gas imports from Russia, while Macron seemingly champions Ukraine – Politico

This is reported by Politico according to its own sources.

The report highlights that in the first quarter of this year, France received a notable increase in Russian liquefied natural gas shipments compared to other EU nations.

"It cannot be that France, on the one hand, says that we have to be harsh with Russia and on the other hand, is paying them off with big money," remarked a diplomat from an EU member state.

A French economy ministry official attributed the rise in Russian gas imports partly to strikes disrupting normal flows in the previous year.

Furthermore, Paris engages in ongoing discussions with EU partners to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. The official noted that France serves as a significant transit route for gas, benefiting other countries like Italy.

It is stated that the government is exploring alternative supply options while prioritizing European energy security, as emphasized by the spokesperson, reiterating France's commitment to phasing out reliance on fossil fuels by 2027.

• In April, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu held a telephone call with Sergei Shoigu, marking the first such contact since October 2022. The conversation centered on the recent terrorist attack by the "Islamic State" in the Moscow region on March 22.