Invited by the Choiseul Institute, a think tank active in international relations with connections in Russia, Christian Estrosi, accompanied by his right-hand man Anthony Borré, participated in the closing day of a conference dedicated to economic relations between Russia and France. He did not hesitate to make rather risky statements in light of the official diplomatic situation:
“I wanted to emphasize Russia’s immense contribution to European culture and its legitimacy to act alongside France and Europe on the international stage.”
It’s acceptable when referring to cultural relations, “Today, this Russian part of our European culture is welcomed across our continent, and especially in Nice. In the fields of cinema, music, ballet, our city continually weaves projects and collaborations in a shared vision,” as the Mayor of Nice affirmed.
But caution is advised when reading statements that go beyond the competencies of a local elected official, no matter how significant: “There is no doubt in my mind that Russia should be a privileged partner, not only economically but also politically, to ensure peace and security throughout Europe.”
On this subject, one might assume that Christian Estrosi is aware that the European Union (including France) sanctioned Russia with a series of economic measures following the invasion of Crimea and part of Ukrainian territory in 2014.
Thus, his remarks were unexpected, as the norm dictates that international relations are conducted from State to State!
The Mayor of Nice had the opportunity to discuss the international situation and improved Franco-Russian cooperation with Alexander Viktorovich Grushko, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation in charge of relations with Europe.
The meeting with his Moscow counterpart, Sergei Sobyanin, laid the groundwork for a partnership between the two cities, with common topics such as green transition, electric and hydrogen mobility, citizen protection, and security innovations.
The Mayor of Nice also visited the exhibition “France-Russia, 10 Centuries Together,” which highlights the centuries-old history linking Nice to Russia and relations between our two countries, told through over 200 artworks, objects, and archival documents. On this occasion, he was able to discover the plans of the Saint-Nicolas-and-Sainte-Alexandra Church on Longchamp Street as well as those of the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, originating from the Russian national archives.
