In a shocking act of defiance, activists from Greenpeace managed to steal a wax statue of French President Emmanuel Macron from the Grevin Museum in Paris, disguising themselves as regular visitors to facilitate the heist. According to a police source, the activists transformed into museum staff, draped a blanket over the waxwork, and discreetly exited through an emergency door.
The stolen figure was later showcased outside the Russian embassy, where the activists articulated their grievances regarding Macron's perceived leniency towards French corporations conducting commerce with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Known for his vocal support of Ukraine, Macron has occupied a pivotal position in European dialogues aimed at achieving peace.
Video footage captured the activists staging the waxwork alongside various placards and signs that highlighted their message. Thankfully, no arrests have taken place thus far, and the valuable wax figure, which is estimated to be worth around €40,000, remains unreturned.
Jean-Francois Julliard, the head of Greenpeace France, asserted that Paris was exhibiting a "double game," supporting Ukraine while allowing French entities to import gas and fertilizers from Russia. He contended that Macron "encapsulated this dual discourse" and emphasized that he should take the initiative among European leaders to sever trade agreements with Russian businesses.
An analysis released by the BBC earlier this year revealed that, since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has accumulated over €883 billion from fossil fuel exports to Western nations, including €228 billion from countries imposing sanctions. Notably, France has accounted for €17.9 billion of this revenue, as reported by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
Further estimates indicate that Russian gas exports to Europe are projected to rise significantly, with liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments reaching new highs. Currently, approximately half of Russia's LNG exports are directed towards the EU. In addition to providing military support to Ukraine, France has implemented multiple sanctions against Russia and its nationals in response to the conflict. Macron has also hinted at the possibility of imposing even stricter sanctions should Russia fail to engage in ceasefire negotiations.
