France has openly declared that the sole obstacle to peace in Ukraine is Russia and its dictator, Vladimir Putin. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot made this clear during a United Nations Security Council meeting initiated by France, where the continued violations of international law by Russia were harshly criticised.
Barrot reminded attendees that Ukraine had already accepted the UN resolution calling for a complete ceasefire without conditions. In contrast, Russia responded by escalating its campaign of destruction, targeting civilian infrastructure, women and children, and blatantly disregarding global agreements.
The French minister firmly stated that Russia is not a victim in this war but the main aggressor, using deception to justify its crimes. He described Russia’s narrative of being drawn into the conflict as a “smokescreen” and confirmed that the Kremlin’s true goal is the total surrender of Ukraine.
Barrot further warned that Russia is not only endangering Ukraine, but also trying to destabilise the rest of Europe. France itself has been targeted with cyberattacks from Russian military intelligence. Dozens of French businesses have fallen victim to these cyber offensives, which Barrot said clearly violate United Nations security provisions.
The UN Security Council previously emphasised the need to end the war based on international law, not temporary or symbolic ceasefires like those recently floated by the Russian dictatorship to coincide with upcoming public holidays.
