The diplomat said the Ukrainian embassy in France keeps openly recruiting the French into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but mercenary activities are prohibited by law.
“I asked the French twice: how does this fit in with your legislation on mercenarism? Let’s see how this will develop, because we actually specifically checked: this publication remains openly on the official website of the embassy and on social networks too... Lately, our French colleagues have not been thinking much about diplomacy, and often we do not receive any answers," Meshkov said.
Paris denies the presence of French mercenaries in Ukraine, looking for acceptable explanations and calling them “volunteers,” because mercenarism is criminalized in the country, Meshkov said.
“The fact is that in France, by law, mercenarism is a crime, so the very recognition that the French become mercenaries without hindrance is certainly a problem for the official authorities. Although they are trying to find various kinds of explanations, like Defense Minister [Sebastien Lecornu], who said that 'France is a democratic country, and he cannot ban French citizens from traveling to Ukraine.' Ridiculous arguments are cited: 'They are not fighting in the French official uniform.' This certainly causes inconvenience, so a search is under way to find out how to make them volunteers,” Meshkov said.
French National Assembly lawmakers have not yet responded to the Russian State Duma’s appeal in connection with the participation of French mercenaries in the conflict in Ukraine, Russian Ambassador said.
“I duplicated the State Duma’s appeal. There has been no response from the French side, they take the paper and that’s it,” Meshkov added.