Russian FM slams France's Macron for calling Moscow 'imperial colonial power'

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, July 29, lambasted French President Emmanuel Macron for his barbs directed at Moscow, wherein the irate French leader dismissed Russia as "one of the last imperial colonial powers" of the "early 20th, even the 19th century." Reacting to the French leader's scathing statement, the Russian Foreign Minister reacted by saying that he had expected "more ethical statements from the French side". 

Macron, during his three-nation tour to Africa, widely disparaged the Russian regime as he delivered a criticism-laden speech in the former French colony of Benin and Cameroon in Africa, where he had embarked on a visit this week to reset ties. The French President claimed that the Russian Federation is trying to assert its stronghold in the African region, cynically using fuel and food as leverage and that it is "waging an imperial-style war of conquest."

(French President Emmanuel Macron and Benin President Patrice Talon. Image: AP)

“Russia has started a new kind of hybrid world war,” Macron said at a breifing in Africa's Cameroon, during a speech made alongside Benin counterpart Patrice Talon. “Russia is one of the last imperial colonial powers -- it decides to invade a neighbouring country to defend its interests."

"When you see them popping up over here, that’s what’s happening," warned the French president. 

Like many other developing nations impacted by Russia's president Vladimir Putin's military intervention in neighbouring country Ukraine, Cameroon has been witnessing skyrocketing oil prices, a dearth of fertiliser and a shortage of food. Macron linked the food insecurity in Africa as a gory outcome of Russian aggression. He then made wide-ranging promises of a boost in agricultural production. 

(French President Macron (left) is welcomed by Benin President Patrice Talon at the presidency in Cotonou. Image: AP)

Macron warns of 'Russia's diplomatic & military expansionist agenda'

Macron also expressed concerns about what he described as Russia's diplomatic and military expansionist agendas on the post-colonial African soil. He took an indirect swipe at the Russian Federation by saying, "We are blamed by some [implying Russians] who say that European sanctions is the cause of the world food crisis, including in Africa. It is totally false," Macron asserted. 

“It’s a territorial war, the likes of which we thought had disappeared from European soil,” Macron said.

While the French leader labelled Russia's historical influence in Africa as "painful moments", it is to be noted that as many as 25 of the 28 African nations in the continent had either abstained or did not cast a vote to support the UNSC resolution to hold Russia accountable for war atrocities in Kyiv. 

As Macron, during his African leg to Cameroon, Benin and Guinea Bissau launched controversial statements, it prompted an official response from Moscow's Sergey Lavrov, who is also slated to tour the continent this week to strengthen ties. On July 27, Lavrov landed in Ethiopia, where he urged the gathering of African diplomats "not to back a US-led world order" and its "reckless attempts of dominance." 

In a fierce response to Macron's Cameroon speech, Lavrov on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CMFA)  meeting of the SCO states, said: "As for President Macron and his statements, indeed, in general, one could expect more ethical statements from the French. Because he said, if I remember correctly, something like the following - that he is worried about Russia's military and diplomatic activity in Africa and that he would not even call it cooperation, but support for absolutely failed, illegitimate regimes and juntas." 

Putin's foreign minister continued sarcastically that if Emmanuel Macron, in general, was implying Russia's influence in the list of countries that it visited in Africa then "it was quite insulting for African states that continue, in spite of everything, to consistently develop relations with the Russian Federation."