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French President Emmanuel Macron connected Friday (March 13, 2026) said Russia was “mistaken” if it thought the West Asia warfare would easiness unit connected it aft Washington partially rolled backmost sanctions against Moscow to chill lipid prices.
His comments came aft talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, successful Paris aimed astatine ramping up unit connected Russia to extremity its four-year invasion.
“Today Russia whitethorn judge that the warfare successful Iran volition connection it respite. It is mistaken,” Mr. Macron said.
U.S.-Israel strikes connected Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks crossed the Gulf portion person virtually halted transit done the strategically captious Strait of Hormuz, sending planetary lipid prices spiralling.
Also read: West Asia warfare updates connected March 13, 2026
The United States has temporarily allowed the merchantability of lipid from Russia — 1 of the world’s largest lipid producers and exporters — that is astatine sea, arsenic lipid prices clasp supra $100 a barrel.
The determination has sparked pushback from U.S. allies, including Mr. Macron, who said earlier the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz “in nary way” justified lifting the sanctions connected Russia.
During a gathering of the Group of Seven countries earlier this week, “we reaffirmed rising lipid prices indispensable nether nary circumstances pb america to reconsider our sanctions argumentation towards Russia,” Mr. Macron said during Friday’s property conference.
Mr. Macron said helium believed the U.S. determination to easiness sanctions would beryllium “limited” and would not beryllium a full reversal of the policy.
“The determination taken, connected an exceptional and constricted basis, by the United States of America... does not represent a lasting oregon wide reversal of the sanctions that they themselves decided upon” wrong the model of the G7, Mr. Macron said.
Mr. Macron besides confirmed that France’s presumption successful the West Asia warfare remained “purely defensive” contempt an Iranian drone having killed a French worker successful Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
The French Military said that drones had connected Thursday deed a basal wherever troops were taking portion successful counter-terrorism grooming with Iraqi counterparts.
Arnaud Frion, 42, was killed by a Shahed drone strike, according to his commanding officer, successful an onslaught that besides near respective soldiers wounded.
When asked astir the anticipation of a retaliatory onslaught pursuing Frion’s death, Mr. Macron refused to sermon a script successful which France would transportation retired a retaliatory onslaught against Iran, calling it “political fiction”.
“We are not astatine warfare with anyone,” Mr. Macron said.
