The response was not long in coming. Moscow threatened on Sunday to boycott French products in response to comments a day earlier by Anne Hidalgo, who said that Russian and Belarusian athletes are “not welcome” at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“Until now, French products are not labeled with stickers. We are not welcome in Moscow, but I know that our supporters will not be stopped if they make such a decision,” wrote Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Telegram.
“Another statement like this, and French business representatives will storm the Paris City Hall, following the farmers,” she also threatened, referring to the recent farmers’ movement, stating that Russia has “a wide range of products that can replace many French products.”
Hidalgo assures Ukraine of her “support”
While visiting Kyiv, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, stated on Saturday that Russian and Belarusian “athletes” were “not welcome” at the Olympic Games taking place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.
“I want to tell Russian athletes and Belarusian athletes that they are not welcome in Paris and tell Ukrainian athletes and the entire Ukrainian people that we support them actively and strongly,” declared the Socialist mayor of the capital in a video posted by the Ukrainian YouTube channel United news.
