An oil tanker in the diplomatic storm. Questioned during a forum organized in Sochi, Vladimir Putin strongly criticized the French decision to intercept a ship suspected of contributing to the clandestine export of Russian oil. “It’s piracy. Because (…) the tanker was boarded in neutral waters, without any basis. Obviously they were looking for something, military goods, drones, or things like that. But there’s none of that there,” declared the head of the Kremlin this Thursday, October 2.
According to him, the vessel was sailing “under the flag of a third country, in fact, with an international crew”. And to add: “Honestly, I don’t know to what extent he is linked to Russia. » Vladimir Putin also accused Paris of trying to hide its own difficulties: “The interception of this ship is an attempt by the French authorities to divert the attention of the population while the country is in a difficult internal political situation,” he said. A few hours earlier, Emmanuel Macron had urged Europeans to “take a step” additional in the “policy of hindrance” targeting the Russian ghost fleet, recalls AFP. This parallel system allows Moscow to export its oil by circumventing Western sanctions.
Recurring invectives
Beyond this episode, the Russian president took advantage of his intervention in Sochi to increase attacks against Europeans. He says he observes “the growing militarization of Europe” and promises “a response to threats” : “The answer will be, to say the least, very convincing. I mean the answer. We ourselves have never initiated a military confrontation. »
The head of the Kremlin also accuses the European Union of leading “a permanent escalation” in Ukraine and claims that Russia is fighting against “the entire NATO bloc”. Regarding the recent statements of Donald Trump, who described the Russian army as “paper tiger”Vladimir Putin quipped: “So the paper tiger is NATO? » While this type of skirmish has increased in recent weeks, a lull between Russia and the West does not seem to be on the horizon…
