Greenpeace just pulled off a daring stunt. The environmental group swiped a wax figure of French President Emmanuel Macron from a Paris museum. Now it’s sitting outside the Russian embassy, protesting France’s ties with Russia.
The wax figure, which had been on display at the Grévin museum, shows Macron smiling and clapping. Greenpeace placed it in front of the embassy with a sign that reads, “Ukraine is on fire, but business goes on.”
Greenpeace says Macron doesn’t deserve to be displayed in a cultural institution until he ends France’s energy deals with Russia and gets serious about environmental policies. The group is angry that France is still trading with Russia, despite Europe’s pledge to reduce its dependence on Russian energy. This includes buying Russian gas, nuclear power, and fertilizer.
According to a report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, France was the biggest importer of Russian fossil fuels in the EU in January. This included over 377 million euros’ worth of liquefied natural gas.
Roger Spautz, Greenpeace France’s energy campaign leader, says Macron needs to ditch his nuclear plans. Otherwise, he’s sticking with dangerous regimes like Russia and supporting industries that commit crimes. Spautz argues that there’s no way to achieve energy independence or a peaceful energy transition while relying on Putin’s uranium. It’s time to give up on nuclear power altogether.
Greenpeace is also calling out Macron for his double standards. While he publicly supports Ukraine, he’s not taking decisive action to stop trade with Russia. This is damaging France’s credibility on the international stage.
For now, it’s unclear what will happen to the wax figure. The museum and Macron’s office have yet to comment.
Source: CNN