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Intelligence sources said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to explain how to poison Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, led to a serious deterioration in his relations with Europe, as reported by “Business Insider.”
According to French media, Putin spoke with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron last week about Navalny, the opposition leader, who was poisoned with Novichok nerve gas in late August and was evacuated to Germany for treatment.
During the call, Putin is said to have indicated that Navalny may have poisoned himself in an elaborate attempt to discredit Russia.
Intelligence sources described Putin’s analysis as so insulting that it caused a severe setback in the already tense relations between Russia and European countries.
A French security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the call infuriated Macron, who generally fears a direct confrontation with Russia, and European leaders scoff at Putin when it comes to such events.
The source added that Macron expected to be informed that this is an illegal operation and an investigation is underway, for example, or to indicate the possibility that some Chechens carried out the operation without his knowledge or approval.
The official said they understand that ridiculous, confusing and contradictory messages like this are the way Putin handles affairs domestically, but not with the French president, and Macron is really angry.
The official indicated that President Macron will make his own decisions on the matter, which could provide an incentive for Merkel to act on the Nord Stream 2 gas project with Russia.
Political tensions between Russia and the West have repeatedly threatened to derail the gas pipeline project, and Merkel has come under heavy pressure to use Nord Stream 2 as pressure to get answers from Russia on Navalny and other issues.
The source said Macron’s view is that “you cannot lie to the president of France as if he were a Russian peasant.”
In turn, an official from the Central European counterintelligence service commented that Macron and Merkel have a lot to do politically at the moment, and both are angry that Putin put them in this position.
The source emphasized that a strong and united alliance of Germany, France and other members of the European Union could face Putin, but it would be stronger and more effective if the president of the United States participated in it.
