Russian MFA Condemns Macron for Calling Putin an ‘Ogre’

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Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday accused French President Emmanuel Macron of making “vulgar insults” after he described President Vladimir Putin as a “predator” and an “ogre.”

Macron, speaking to broadcaster LCI last week, warned European leaders not to trust Putin. “For his own survival, he needs to keep eating… That means he is a predator, an ogre at our gates,” the French president said.

He made the remarks following a summit in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a televised briefing that the comments “cross the line of not just reasonableness, but decency, becoming vulgar insults against Russia and its people.”

Moscow has frequently criticized France’s backing of Ukraine. Paris has been one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, providing weapons and financial aid.

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