France Supports Ukraine Amid Russian Propaganda Campaigns

In a striking rebuke, France condemned Russia’s latest attempt to justify its invasion of Ukraine during a United Nations Security Council meeting held in Arria format yesterday. The French delegation characterized the Russian-organized session as “an exercise of pure propaganda” designed to divert attention from civilian casualties in Ukraine.

“A lie repeated ad nauseam is still a lie,” the French representative declared, rejecting Russia’s historical narratives as a smokescreen for its actions since 2014. The statement emphasized that Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014 and its full-scale invasion in 2022 constitute clear violations of Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders established in 1991.

The French delegation specifically highlighted Russia’s disregard for its own diplomatic commitments, pointing to the Budapest Memorandum of December 5, 1994. Under this agreement, Russia had guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity in exchange for Kyiv relinquishing its nuclear arsenal and ratifying the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“History tells us that Russia has been blatantly violating these commitments since 2014,” the French representative stated, drawing a direct line between Russia’s past promises and its current actions.

The statement also addressed a recent development in the conflict, referencing a memorandum Russia transmitted to Ukraine on June 2. According to the French delegation, this document demands international recognition of territories Russia has attempted to annex and confirmation of Ukraine’s non-nuclear status – requirements France characterized as contradicting Russia’s previous international commitments.

The French representative criticized Moscow’s negotiating position, stating that “Russia is refusing to put an end to the fighting even though Ukraine is prepared to do so.” The delegation noted that Russia’s insistence on recognition of territorial annexations as a precondition for peace talks has been repeatedly condemned by overwhelming majorities in the United Nations General Assembly.

In particularly pointed remarks, France rejected Russia’s narrative of fighting Nazism in Ukraine, calling it “a shameless and dangerous lie” that “justifies the worst atrocities.” This accusation speaks to broader concerns about Russian propaganda that has attempted to frame the invasion as a “denazification” operation.

The statement also accused Russia of “instrumentalizing the memory of the fight against Nazism during the Second World War” – a critique that has gained traction as Moscow has increasingly invoked World War II imagery to justify its actions in Ukraine. This aspect of Russian messaging has proven particularly controversial given the Soviet Union’s historical role in defeating Nazi Germany.

Several other Security Council members reportedly shared France’s concerns about Russia’s historical revisionism. The French representative concluded by emphasizing the clear distinction between aggressor and victim in the conflict: “It is important to recall that in this war, there is an aggressor which is Russia and a party subject to aggression which is Ukraine.”

The French statement reflects growing frustration among Western nations with Russia’s continued military campaign and its attempts to reshape historical narratives around Ukrainian sovereignty and identity. It also signals France’s determination to maintain a unified international response to the conflict.

“We will refuse to give in to Russian provocations and will continue, together with our partners, to act as a force for peace,” the French representative concluded, reinforcing France’s commitment to supporting Ukraine while seeking a resolution that respects international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.