Earlier, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) threatened that remarks from the Russian diplomatic mission in the French capital concerning the probable deployment of French military advisers to Ukraine "would not go without consequences." An MID representative specifically pointed out that French instructors who teach Ukrainian militants to better target Russians would become a legitimate target "as in war" – something that didn't sit well with the MEAE.
According to Zakharova, this threat from the MEAE followed a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Her boss and Russia's top diplomat said in a June 4 press conference in the Republic of the Congo: "French instructors, if sent to Ukraine, would become a legitimate target for Russian armed forces."
Zakharova then took to the messaging platform Telegram, singling out the MEAE official who issued the threat against the Russian diplomatic mission. She provided three options as a possible answer to the staffer.
"First, that there is still a tradition of asking questions. Second, that there is still a tradition of answering questions. Third [is] the possible death of French nationals in Ukraine, which French authorities have previously vehemently denied," Zakharova said, per a report by Russia Today. "Then I'll add Option D: If our diplomats are touched, you will receive retaliatory measures." (Related: France to announce the official deployment of "military instructors" to Ukraine to help train Kyiv’s new recruits.)
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Russian state news agency TASS also quoted Zakharova as stating that Moscow had "confirmation … coming in on reports that France is preparing to send its troops to Ukraine," referring to trainers. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said there were already "specialists" in Ukraine "under the guise of mercenaries."
Macron's office claims there's no evidence French operatives are in Ukraine
During the June 4 press briefing, Lavrov also dismissed the "peace conference" sponsored by Ukraine that is set to take place in Switzerland. Russia, which presently occupies about 18 percent of Ukrainian territory mainly concentrated in the east, isn't invited to the conference.
"This conference in Switzerland has no meaning," he said. "The only meaning it can have is to try to preserve this anti-Russian bloc, which is in the process of crumbling."
Meanwhile, the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said on June 4 that it wouldn't comment on Lavrov's remarks. It added that there was no evidence that French military advisers were in Ukraine.
But Macron's remarks in media interviews appear to be a complete 180 from his current sentiment. In an interview with the Economist magazine, he considered the probability of sending troops to Ukraine if "Kyiv requested it and if Russian forces breached the front line."
"We should not be intimidated; we are not faced with a great power," Macron told the magazine. "Russia is a middle power with nuclear weapons, but its GDP is smaller than that of Europeans, smaller than that of Germany, smaller than that of France."
He also espoused the same sentiment in an interview with the Le Parisien newspaper. "It is possible that at some point, and I do not wish for it, nor will I initiate it, it will be necessary to carry out operations on the ground, whatever they may be, to counter Russian forces," the French president said.
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Watch this clip about French President Emmanuel Macron reiterating his warning that North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops could be deployed inside Ukraine.
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