Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin ridiculed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent remarks in which he labeled Russia a threat to Europe and France. Drawing a historical parallel, Putin referenced Napoleon Bonaparte’s disastrous Russian campaign of 1812 to dismiss Macron’s concerns.
Speaking on Thursday during a meeting with mothers and widows of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine, Putin indirectly responded to Macron’s televised address from the previous evening. In his speech, Macron warned of the Russian threat and hinted at the role of France’s nuclear deterrent in protecting Europe.
Though he did not mention Macron by name, Putin remarked, “Some people still can’t sit still. There are those who want to return to the times of Napoleon, forgetting how it ended.”
In a conversation with a grieving mother, Putin further asserted that Russia’s adversaries “underestimated the character of the Russian people and representatives of Russian culture in general.”
