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“This authoritarian deviation is extremely worrying, because questioning the rule of law through these massive and preventive arrests is intolerable,” Le Drian said in “Political Issues” on France Inter radio, the “France TV” group and the newspaper Le Monde.
About 3,500 protesters were detained across Russia, including 1,360 in Moscow and 523 in St. Petersburg, the country’s second largest city, according to the organization “OVD-Info”, which specializes in monitoring protest demonstrations, reported on Sunday.
“I also see that the success of the protesters throughout the Russian territory is admirable,” Le Drian added.
He considered that “the march (of Alexei Navalny) deserves a lot of respect. He is brave in what he does.” Your responsibility.
The issue of repressing the demonstrations falls on the dialogue that President Emmanuel Macron has initiated with Russia since 2019, although it remains necessary, according to Le Drian.
“It is a deviation that generates great concern and reconsiders to a certain extent the confidence we have towards Russia,” said the French chancellor.
He also said: “Despite everything, Russia’s position will not change. The geography is stubborn, Russia is our neighbor, and there are security and trust issues” that should be discussed with her.
And he highlighted the need for “some forms of discussion to develop with great clarity and firmness about the authoritarian deviation that we observe,” although he acknowledged that things “have not advanced much” since 2019.
And European leaders imposed sanctions in October on several high-ranking Russian officials for the Navalny poisoning, stressing that international law must be respected.
Also, several European officials called for the adoption of new sanctions against Russia in the event that Navalny is not released.
Le Drian limited himself to asking for a “practical” characterization of the sanctions imposed in October, knowing that the foreign ministers of the European Union would debate this issue on Monday.
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