France to Strip Away Its Top Honour Conferred on Putin

France is considering stripping Russian President Vladimir Putin of France’s top honour. French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said he might strip his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of France’s top honour, but is waiting for the “right moment” to do so.

Grand-Croix de la Legion d’Honneur is the top honour conferred by the French government. Putin received this honour in 2006 when France and Russia enjoyed better relations.

Interestingly, on Wednesday, Macron awarded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with this top honour of France. Zelensky is the arch-enemy of Putin. But France has not yet to formally removed its top honour from Putin.

Following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, ties between France and Russia have soured. European Union which includes France has imposed a range of tough economic sanctions.

Speaking after an EU summit in which the issue of weapons deliveries to Ukraine was discussed, the French President said the question of Putin’s French medal was “symbolic but important”.

These decisions, he said, “are always meaningful and I think you have to appreciate the right moment to make them”.