Paris: Russia, with malicious intent, would target the Paris Olympics without doubt, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday. Macron said that he have no doubt, including in terms of information, Reuters reported.
"I have no doubt whatsoever, including in terms of information," Reuters quoted the French president as responding to a question by a media person.
Macron made the comment while he was at an event in Paris, inaugurating the new Olympic aquatic centre. The comment was Macron's most explicit acknowledgement to date of foreign threats to the security of the Olympic games, Reuters reports.
As there were two serious conflicts going on in the global foray, namely the one in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there are severe security concerns over the running of the games.
In recent months, Macron has taken a tougher stance against Putin's administration in Russia. He had vowed that Moscow must be defeated and did not rule out chances of European forces moving against Russia in Ukraine. But he had made it clear that France had no intention of instigating hostilities against Russia.
The Macron government in France had adopted a tougher stance against Russia's alleged disinformation spread across Europe.
Foreign Minister of France, Stephane Sejourne, said earlier this week that it will propose European Union-wide sanctions on those spreading disinformation since there is an alleged effort by Russia doing so to destabilise the EU.