France appointed Nicolas de Rivière, a seasoned diplomat and former Permanent Representative to the UN Security Council, as its new ambassador to Moscow.
The appointment comes as France and Russia navigate deeply strained relations, exacerbated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and a series of bilateral disputes.
De Rivière, 61, brings extensive diplomatic experience to the role, having served in key positions in Brussels, The Hague, Washington, and New York. His nomination, first announced in November 2024, was formally confirmed by a presidential decree on 30 January, pending approval from Russian authorities.
The ambassadorship to Moscow is one of France’s most complex and strategic postings, particularly as the war in Ukraine approaches its third year. Diplomatic exchanges between Paris and Moscow have been minimal since the outbreak of the war, with the last known phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin occurring in 2022.
Macron has been a vocal advocate for European support for Ukraine, including military and financial aid. He has also floated the controversial idea of deploying European troops to Ukraine, though the proposal faced strong opposition from EU partners and was never formalised.
Recent incidents have further strained Franco-Russian relations. In August 2023, Pavel Durov, the Russian founder of messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France on charges related to illegal content and non-cooperation with authorities. In October, French academic Laurent Vinatier was sentenced to three years in prison in Russia for failing to register as a “foreign agent.”
The disputes highlight the deteriorating state of diplomatic ties, making de Rivière’s role as ambassador even more critical. His appointment signals France’s commitment to maintaining a diplomatic presence in Moscow, despite the challenges.
De Rivière’s appointment underscores France’s determination to engage with Russia diplomatically, even as the two nations remain at odds over Ukraine and other contentious issues. His tenure will test the limits of diplomacy in an era of heightened geopolitical tensions.
