French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to the Republic of Benin on Wednesday, lashed out at Russia, RT and Sputnik, warning the people of Africa not to “be deceived by cooperation with Russia.”
Macron declared that Russia had launched a global hybrid war and decided that the media, energy and food would be used in a regional imperialist war against Ukraine… “This is how I frankly evaluate Russia’s actions.”
He continued: “Russia is waging a regional war against Ukraine, like the wars of the 19th and 20th centuries that we thought ended on the European continent. Russia is one of the last colonial imperialist countries. This is true!”
He added: “When you see how they (the Russians) raise their heads, you should know that this is their reality, even if they tell you otherwise, and we are all looking at the imbalance that Russia is creating, despite all the diplomatic rounds and means mass information. disinformation… We see that Russia is one of the most powerful countries in the use of propaganda through the development of television channels that exploit our democracy.”
He stated that Russia Today and Sputnik are not media channels with journalists who speak freely, but rather broadcast information in the service of a system that pays them to wage war and share public opinion.
He continued: “Secondly, Russia extorts food because they are the ones who store the grain in Ukraine and legalize it. We have not imposed any sanctions on food, but they decide when and how to turn on the taps and control prices, and then they say otherwise.”
He said: “In terms of energy, they use the same method with Europe, but the question is somewhat complicated, because the reality is that most of Russia’s income depends on what it sells to the Europeans, and the gas pipeline cannot be changed in six months. … We do not know what they will do, but we know that they will try to invest in this point.” Europeans would be wise not to expose themselves to this strategy, because this is one of the means of this hybrid war. … When we tell the truth as it is, we help keep people from suffering.”
He explained that he wanted to say that they must find a way to stop this war as soon as possible, and that everyone must find the path of wisdom and cooperation.
He urged Moscow to show a sense of responsibility and return to the path it has been following in recent months.
Source: French media