Russia complains after diplomat delayed at French border

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov holds annual press conference in Moscow

Spokesperson of Russia's Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova attends the annual press conference held by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, January 14, 2025. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File Photo

Source: REUTERS

Russia summoned the French ambassador in Moscow to the foreign ministry to complain after a Russian diplomat was detained by border guards at a French airport, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

"As a result of the demarches undertaken, our colleague was ultimately allowed to enter the country, but she had to spend a day in the border zone of the airport. We do not intend to leave this without consequences," state news agency RIA quoted Zakharova as saying.

There was no immediate comment from the French foreign ministry or law enforcement. A French government spokesperson had no information about the issue.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the detention was "absolutely unacceptable", and "further aggravates" relations between France and Russia.

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Relations between the countries have been poor since February 2022, when Russia ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. France is one of Kyiv's foremost European backers.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters