Moscow attack: Russia would be "cynical" to blame Ukraine, Macron says
Mar 25, 2024
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday all signs indicated that ISIS carried out an attack on a concert hall near Moscow in which 137 people were killed, and he said it would be "cynical and counterproductive" for Russia to pin the blame on Ukraine.
Macron said the gunmen who killed 137 people in a concert hall outside Moscow were part of an Islamist group that was behind foiled attempts to attack France over the past few months.
This, in turn, explains why the French government on Sunday increased the security alert to its highest level, Macron said.
First of all, I would like to reiterate our support and solidarity with the Russian people and to have a thought for all the victims, their families and all the injured.
Russia has been hit by an Islamic terrorist attack that, unfortunately, we have experienced in recent years.
We must remain instrumental.
There is also a war of aggression that we have condemned,
to which we are, as you know, deeply opposed, which has led us to take sanctions against Russia, to support Ukraine.
I think it would be both cynical and counterproductive for Russia itself and the security of its outposts to use this context to try to turn against Ukraine.
In this regard, we have offered Russian services, as our partners in the region, increased cooperation.
Our wish is, of course, that we can find the culprits as soon as possible and that we continue to fight effectively against these groups that are projected in several countries.
We can see that Russia, a few months ago in Turkey, they tried France a little earlier.
It reminds me of the years in Bataklan, as I would say.
So, yes, it's something that has never left a mark on us.
There has already been one, there has already been an attack during GEOs, there has been one during a marathon.
Obviously, these are events that are worrying in terms of internal security.
I know that the GEOs, for example, are not ready at all.
Isn't it also their way of showing France that if they take things into their own hands,
that they are ready to welcome this type of sporting event, and that the whole world is moving for it?