MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron is employing aggressive rhetoric against Russia to divert public attention from domestic issues, Fabrice Sorlin, vice-chairman of the International Movement of Russophiles, has told TASS in an interview.
"Macron's statements, while provocative, seem to be part of his internal political strategy. He is currently extremely unpopular in France - latest polls show his support hovering around 12-13%. We've seen his efforts to form a government falter, with prime ministers being replaced almost at will," Sorlin explained.
He believes Macron's primary goal is to redirect public discontent. "He’s attempting to craft an external enemy image to shift blame away from himself and onto Russia. Macron is a highly narcissistic and power-hungry individual. I wouldn’t be surprised if, after labeling Russia an 'enemy,' he considers declaring a state of emergency to cling to power. That, I think, is his true objective," Sorlin added.
The politician emphasized that Russian officials have never threatened France or discussed invading European countries. "I always encourage my fellow citizens to watch speeches by Russian politicians online - no one has ever threatened France or spoken of invading France or Germany. The portrayal of Russia as an enemy is exaggerated and serves to distract from Macron’s domestic failures, given his negligible support at home," Sorlin concluded.
Previously, Macron has used confrontational language regarding Russia, especially in the context of the Ukrainian conflict, even suggesting the possibility of deploying French troops to Ukraine once the crisis is resolved. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated that Russia poses no threat to European nations and has no plans to attack them. Western rhetoric, however, continues to frame Russia as an adversary to justify increased militarization and confrontational policies.