Russia’s embassy in Paris rejected accusations that Moscow had interfered in France’s domestic affairs ahead of the country’s 2027 presidential election. The embassy said Russia does not interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
The embassy in Paris argued that Western countries and France had intensified baseless accusations against Russia. It said the rhetoric about the “Russian threat” was being used to justify anti-Moscow policies and the arms buildup by various countries, and claimed that these policies were doomed to fail.
Budget criticism of military spending
The embassy also criticized the Paris government’s rising defense spending. It argued that directing budget resources toward military expenditure harmed socially important sectors, widened the budget deficit and increased the public debt that future generations would have to repay.
Russia’s embassy in Paris further claimed that political leaders who blame Moscow were trying to shift responsibility for problems under their own governments onto Russia. The statement alleged that these governments had overseen deteriorating economic conditions, declining industrial production, widening social inequalities and falling purchasing power.
French officials accuse Russia of interference
Russia’s statement came as French officials and politicians had accused Moscow in recent months of interfering in elections. VIGINUM, France’s agency for monitoring foreign digital interference, attributed alleged disinformation operations carried out this summer to two networks called Matryoshka and Storm-1516, which French authorities have described as pro-Russian.
The alleged operations targeted Gabriel Attal, leader of the Renaissance Party and a presidential candidate; Edouard Philippe, leader of Horizons; and Raphael Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament.
Attal accused Moscow of trying to steal the 2027 presidential election from the French people. The former prime minister said Russia was trying to prevent voters from making informed decisions and added that the latest interference allegation did not surprise him.
French President Emmanuel Macron also claimed in remarks in February that Russia had been purchasing millions of fake accounts in bulk during election periods.
Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s then-delegate minister for European affairs, said in June 2024 that the threat of foreign interference from Russia ahead of the European Parliament elections was real. Barrot argued that France was facing propaganda from the Putin administration and its supporters, as well as coordinated efforts aimed at influencing public debate and the European election campaign.
Election timetable
The first round of France’s presidential election is scheduled to take place on April 18, 2027. If no candidate secures a majority in the first round, the second round is expected to be held on May 2.
