The Interview: Recent Episodes
FRANCE 24 English
An interview with a French or international personality from the world of economics, politics, culture or diplomacy.
At the end of a three-day tour that took him successively to Kenya, Rwanda and Ivory Coast, France's Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné spoke to FRANCE 24 and RFI about relations with Rwanda, reform of the CFA franc, France's military presence in Africa and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné gave an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI, from Abidjan in Ivory Coast, after completing his first African tour.
The head of French diplomacy spoke in particular about the issues marking relations between Paris and the states of the African continent.
On France’s actions during the genocide of Rwanda’s Tutsis, which he described as “the last genocide of the 20th century”, Séjourné said France had “acknowledged responsibility for what was done”.
Read moreGenocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda: how historians reckon with the horror
Reacting to the election of Senegalese opponent Bassirou Diomaye Faye to the presidency, Séjourné said: “I would like to say to you that the democratic process has worked. There's been a political shift, as has been the case in many countries. Now, there are different policies at play, but I think all of us can be quite happy to see that the Senegalese institutions were strong, that people were able to vote and elections were held in a completely transparent manner.”
“This is what we call a democracy that it is alive, and I think it sends a positive message to other regimes who believe that power only comes through force,” the minister said.
Regarding the new Senegalese president’s decision to do away with the CFA franc, Séjourné said that future of the African currency depends on the "sovereign right" of African states.
“It's not up to France to have a position on the matter,” the minister declared.
When questioned about Russia’s growing presence in Africa, he said “every nation is free to choose whatever partnerships they want to have”, though warning that partnerships with Russia came with strings attached.
“The Russians always seek compensation one way or another, either through primary resources, national resources, or they asked to be paid to provide some form of security,” he said.
Séjourné said it was no longer in Paris's own "interest" to talk to Russia after differing accounts emerged from a rare phone call about last month's deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall.
"It is not in our interest currently to hold discussions with Russian officials because the statements and the summaries issued about them are lies.”
Click on the video player to watch the full interview.
Srettha Thavisin became Thailand’s prime minister in August 2023, putting an end to nine years of the country’s military dominating its politics. In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, the businessman-turned-politician said he "truly believes" the future of Thailand will be more democratic.
Will the future of Thailand be more democratic than the past? "Yes I truly believe [so]," the Thai premier told FRANCE 24 in the northern city of Chiang Mai.
Thavisin is the country's first civilian prime minister in nine years. The army's coup in 2014 overthrew the democratically elected government at the time. "I can't worry for things I have no control [of]," he replied when asked about the risk of another coup. "My goal is clearly to make the lives of the Thai people better."
Turning to the conflict in neighbouring Myanmar, Thavisin asserted that "at the moment", it "hasn't reached the point where there is a full civil war".
"The first word we should discuss is humanitarian assistance," he added. "If there are people who need help, then we will help them."
The Thai premier also spoke about a "four-eyes meeting" with French President Emmanuel Macron on March 11, in which the two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine.
"I think he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wouldn't dare to invade other nations," Thavisin said.
In exactly 200 days from now, the Olympic Games will be taking over Paris. There are promises of sporting glory, but security and logistical challenges are already raising a number of concerns, especially over the ambitious opening ceremony on the River Seine. FRANCE 24's James Vasina spoke to Christophe Dubi, the Olympic Games Executive Director at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who sounded an optimistic note. "We feel extremely confident," Dubi said in an interview from Lausanne, Switzerland. "These games are incredibly well-designed and delivered," he added.
In this edition of the FRANCE 24 Interview, Delano D'Souza sits down with Imran Amed, founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion. Amed opens up about his company, the industry at large and the importance of greater diversity at all levels of fashion.
Bernice Albertine King is the youngest daughter of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. She is today the CEO of The King Center. FRANCE 24 went to meet her to talk about her father's struggle and the march on Washington 60 years ago, during which Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech. On August 28, 1963, Berenice explains that it took courage to make such a speech, as it represented a threat to the existing order. She reminds us how, in this speech, he gave a global vision of the world in which we could coexist as a family, as a community, in peace, in justice, in freedom and in equality, and she makes him reason with contemporary events.
Marie-Amélie Le Fur, President of the French Paralympic and Sports Committee, talks to FRANCE 24 and RFI a year ahead of the opening ceremony of the first Paralympic Games to be held in France. The former para-athlete and nine-time Games medalist takes stock of the organisation and the immense challenges still to be met, especially the accessibility to transport and accommodation. On the sporting front, while the situation is improving, there is still a great deal of work to be done. For example, less than 2 percent of French sports clubs welcome para-athletes today.
Niger's exiled Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou said the military junta has no right to prosecute the country's deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, and called for constitutional order to be restored through negotiations in an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and sister radio station RFI.
From infrastructure to security, transport to ticketing, Paris still has a series of challenges ahead before it hosts the world's biggest sporting event from July 26, 2024. One year before the Games begin, FRANCE 24 sat down with Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee, who also discussed the importance of the highly awaited opening ceremony on the River Seine.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba condemned Russia's recent strikes on Ukraine's Black Sea ports in the wake of Moscow's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. "Russia's objective is to provoke the increase of [a] global food crisis, export its own grain without any hindrances and make as much money as they can," Kuleba said. "But the people of Ukraine and Africa are paying the price." He added: "Russia will fill its pockets to fund [its] war machine, at the expense of Africa”.
Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, told FRANCE 24 that he had decided to open fresh investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the ongoing fighting in Sudan. He said his office had received numerous reports from many sources of crimes such as destruction of property, executions, killings and rapes.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that Taiwan welcomed the final communiqué of the NATO summit, which criticised China's "stated ambitions and coercive policies". He stressed that NATO had "stated the truth" and that Taiwan appreciated that NATO was "paying attention" to the threat posed by Beijing in the Indo-Pacific region. Wu also said that Taiwan agreed with the US government's assessment that China's President Xi Jinping had not yet decided whether China would attack Taiwan by 2027. "We see no imminence in the Chinese military actions and war is not unavoidable," Wu said.
On the eve of next week's NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told FRANCE 24 he was confident an agreement could be forged to bring Ukraine closer to NATO. In addition to providing practical support and creating a Ukraine-NATO council, he said that a text was being drafted to chart a way forward for Ukraine's future membership in the Atlantic Alliance.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, the French Minister of State for International Partnerships Chrysoula Zacharopoulou discussed the issue of violence in French society, among its youth as well as whether it exists at the institutional level, following the riots sparked by the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel on June 27. "I don't accept that France is a racist country… I am an example. I was born in Greece. I became French, and President Macron appointed me minister because he promotes diversity, he promotes inclusion." She also expressed her confidence about the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris and underlined the efforts of France to redefine its relationship with Africa.
On July 7, 2021, Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a commando of mercenaries in Port-au-Prince. Two years on, his widow Martine Moïse, who survived the attack, spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Haitian capital. Although several suspects have been arrested over the murder, "the present government seems to be involved" and "things are not going well in Haiti for the investigation", Moïse said. Nevertheless, she insisted that "the truth will come out" eventually.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi spoke to FRANCE 24 from Vienna and stated that his teams had not observed any Russian military deployment inside the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant, despite Ukrainians authorities claiming that Moscow was preparing to attack the plant.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe discusses the climate transition, his country's debt burden and relations with China in an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris.
The United States’ special climate envoy John Kerry assesses efforts to secure funding for climate action and the green transition in an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, Kenya President William Ruto said the world's multinational financial architecture needs to be "fixed". He also reacted to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, saying "there are already signs of genocide". More than 2,000 people have been killed there since fighting broke out on April 15.
The biggest war in Europe since 1945 has prompted several countries to try to speed up their integration with the West. Those include Ukraine itself but also nations in the western Balkans, as well as Moldova and Georgia, which has been knocking on NATO's door for many years. The former Soviet Republic applied for EU membership in March 2022, although it has not yet been given candidate status. Our guest on The Interview is Salome Zurabishvili, the president of Georgia.
The Mediterranean migrants crisis was one of the main topics discussed by Tunisa's foreign minister Nabil Ammar and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna during their first meeting in Paris. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Nabil Ammar said that the two nations "share lots of views". He told Marc Perelman that stopping the migrants from crossing "cannot be the middle-term or long-term solution at all". "It is rather about fixing the people in their countries, creating wealth", he said.
Pakistan's former prime minister and PTI party leader Imran Khan was released on bail on May 12 after being arrested on graft charges. Since then, he says he has been "isolated" at his home, cut off from the senior leadership of his party, while thousands of his supporters have been arrested. "Anyone who supports PTI is either arrested or has gone underground," he told FRANCE 24 from his home in Lahore.
FRANCE 24 spoke to exiled Russian opposition figure Ilya Ponomarev, the political representative of the Freedom of Russia Legion. This Ukraine-based paramilitary group of Russian volunteers has been involved in cross-border incursions into Russia's Belgorod region in the past last few days. Ponomarev claimed the pro-Ukrainian, anti-Putin group "didn't lose a single soldier" and is successfully making progress inside Russia. Ultimately, "our guys will be in Moscow and Putin will not be in the Kremlin," he predicted.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition activist who was recently sentenced to 25 years in jail by a Moscow court for "high treason" because of his outspoken criticism of the war in Ukraine. Kara-Murza sent a message to her jailed husband: she will "never stop fighting" for him. She also discussed the current situation in Russia and said she felt unable to return there as she feared the authorities would arrest her to "put pressure" on her husband.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's Victory Day speech in Moscow on Tuesday, saying Putin celebrated the 1945 victory against the Nazis even while "attacking Kyiv", referring to a barrage of cruise missiles lobbed at the Ukrainian capital overnight. Mykhailo Podolyak went on to say that any Ukrainian counter-offensive would include attempts to retake Crimea and the occupied territories of the Donbas region.
Angola’s president Joao Lorenco told FRANCE 24 that he did not think an all-out war between Rwanda and DRC was on the horizon. He said he was hopeful that his mediation efforts to restore peace in the DRC's east would bear fruit. He explained that the M23 rebel group was upholding a ceasefire reached a few weeks ago and that the next step was for the group to be cantoned and disarmed.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Natalia Gavrilita, who was prime minister of Moldova from August 2021 until February 2023. She reacted to the recent protests calling for the resignation of President Maia Sandu, saying that a document from the US State Department "clearly indicates evidence of Russian meddling in Moldova's democratic process". She also stressed that Moldova is "not looking to join the EU for the name only", but rather that "we are ready to do the hard work [and] transform the country, because this is actually better for the Moldovan people".
In a interview with FRANCE 24, Moldova's minister of internal affairs said that Moscow was attempting to "reinstall a pro-Russian government" in Moldova, and that "Russian interest groups" and "fugitive oligarchs" were behind recent protests calling for the resignation of the pro-Western President Maia Sandu. "There is clear evidence that these so-called protests were financed, that the transportation of people to Chisinau [was] being truly organised, very well targeted, in clear places and clear timing with clear instructions. And [in] the media space, there is clearly pro-Russian propaganda, there is [a] clear pro-Russian narrative. If you look into the investigations about the cyber attacks, many of the IP addresses were coming from Russia," Ana Revenco said.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 in New York, former US counterterrorism czar Richard Alan Clarke described the main threats facing the United States in cyberspace and warned that Russia's cyber weapons could potentially "do a lot of damage" in the US. To explain why this hasn't happened so far, he cited an "unwritten rule" he believes the US and Russia are both following: "[if] you don't attack me, I won't attack you".
FRANCE 24 spoke to Artur Smolyaninov, a well-known Russian actor. Once acclaimed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, he has now been designated a foreign agent by Russia and forced to flee his country. Our guest explains why he has publicly opposed the war in Ukraine and even vowed to fight on Ukraine's side: Ukrainians "are fighting for their freedom".
Mohamed ElBaradei was director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1997 until 2009. In an interview with FRANCE 24, he reflected on the US-led invasion of Iraq 20 years ago this week, which he opposed. "If I now look in hindsight, it was not really about weapons of mass destruction. It was about regime change," he said. ElBaradei added: "They (the US) thought the best pretext was to say that Saddam Hussein was linked to al Qaeda and had WMDs (...) They didn't really have any evidence. It was all about belief. And they started a slew of deception and misinformation."
In an interview with FRANCE 24 after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan said it was an important day for international justice. The warrant marked “the first time ever that a head of state from a P5 has been charged” by the international court, said Khan referring to the UN Security Council’s permanent five members.
Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan granted an interview to FRANCE 24 from Lahore. Earlier this week, police came to arrest him at his home for not appearing in court over a corruption case, a move that sparked clashes with his supporters. "They are scared of the coming elections on April 30 and they wanted me in jail before that," Khan told FRANCE 24, adding that he would attend a court hearing on March 18. "No political leader has ever suffered this sort of attack," he added.
FRANCE 24 spoke to the former head of Saudi intelligence, Turki al-Faisal, following the announcement that Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations. The prince expressed hope that last week's China-brokered deal will be a game-changer for the region, mentioning Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and especially Yemen, where a deadly conflict has resulted in the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The former ambassador to the US and UK also explained why China was "the logical partner" in making the deal happen.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Andrey Medvedev, a deserter of Russia's Wagner Group, almost two months after he fled to Norway. The 26-year-old Russian ex-mercenary entered the country illegally on January 13 in a bid to seek asylum there. Speaking from Oslo, Medvedev explained that he "witnessed many things" while fighting with the Wagner Group in Ukraine. However, he said he was unable to talk in detail about them and was keeping this information for Norwegian investigators. Medvedev also apologised to the Ukrainian people.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 from Tel Aviv, former Mossad chief Danny Yatom expressed deep concern at the prospect of Israel becoming a "dictatorship". For weeks, Israel has been rocked by a wave of protests against a bill that would curtail the independence of the country's highest court. Yatom claimed the bill was an attempt by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "run away from the trial he is facing" on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Yatom also criticised Netanyahu's coalition partners for backing the legislation.
The prosecutor general of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, told FRANCE 24 that he had identified and collected evidences of war crimes committed by the leader of Wagner mercenary group, Evgueni Prigojine.
In an interview with FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg in Kyiv, the head of the parliamentary faction of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party discussed the situation in Ukraine, one year after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. David Arakhamia said Russian President Vladimir Putin had "lost influence in the world" as a result of Moscow's military setbacks in Ukraine. Arakhamia said "everyone" should worry after Putin said he would suspend his country's participation in New START, the last remaining major nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed confidence that Ukraine would win the war against the invading force of Russia, in an interview with FRANCE 24. Speaking in Brussels a few days ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion, the top Ukrainian diplomat explained why he thinks President Vladimir Putin represents a global threat for the international community, saying that the Russian president's strategy was "destruction and undermining stability". Kuleba added, "No one is interested in having a UN Security Council member and a nuclear power messing up the world."
FRANCE 24 spoke to Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as Kosovo celebrates 15 years of independence. Kurti is due to meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels on February 27 and said he was "very optimistic" that an agreement leading to full normalisation between the two countries could happen "this year". He regretted that relations between Kosovo and Serbia "are not normal" and claimed Belgrade isolated itself by "not delinking (...) from the Kremlin".
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke with FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman during the Munich Security Conference. The president discussed Finland’s plans to join NATO, whether Western leaders misjudged Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and whether there is a risk that Russian military action will expand further into Europe.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby sat down with FRANCE 24’s Washington correspondent Kethevane Gorjestani to talk about the war in Ukraine, the United States’ diplomatic relations with China after the latter sent a spy balloon over its territory, and why the Iran nuclear deal is currently off the table.
Former Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who served 10 years in prison on tax and fraud charges that many believe were politically motivated, spoke to FRANCE 24 from London, where he now lives in exile. Khodorkovsky said that while a "direct confrontation with NATO" was not part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's plan, Putin will be emboldened enough if Russia succeeds in Ukraine that NATO borders will "no longer be an obstacle" to his ambitions.
Nazanin Boniadi, British-Iranian actress and activist spoke to FRANCE 24 from Los Angeles. After the regime's brutal crackdown on the protest movement, demonstrations are now tapering off. But the Iranian actress explains why “people have not given up”, but rather “changed tactics”, and will go back on the streets. She urges the world ‘not to see this revolution buried and dead” because "the threat of this regime is global: until we stand unequivocally with the people in their aspirations for democracy, the whole world will suffer".
Igor Zhovkva, deputy head of the office of the president of Ukraine, urged western countries to deliver long-range missiles and fighter jets to Ukraine as he spoke to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv. He said Ukraine was counting on "positive results soon" and "believed in the united efforts of our partners in delivering weaponry to us". Following repeated calls from Kyiv for more western heavy weaponry, several countries including the UK, US and Germany have now committed to sending battle tanks to Ukrainian front lines.
As relations between Iran and the United States continue to deteriorate, FRANCE 24 spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Paris. He warned that "any tension between the US and Iran, any tension between the regional countries, will reflect on Iraq negatively". Expressing hope that a new meeting involving Saudi Arabia and Iran will take place in Baghdad "in the coming weeks", he said the two countries were "keen to resume these meetings under our (Iraqi) auspices".
FRANCE 24 spoke to the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mohammad Shtayyeh in Brussels where he unreservedly criticised the new Israeli government, claiming its goal is "annexation", and adding that "the whole settlement programme was designed to destroy the two-state solution". The prime minister also expressed "big disappointment" with Joe Biden's administration, recalling how he was "very hopeful" when Biden was elected, but now believes that the promises made by Washington will never materialise.
The head of Ukraine's national security and defence council, Oleksiy Danilov, sat down with FRANCE 24 correspondent and reporter Gulliver Cragg in Kyiv. As Ukraine asks the West for hundreds of modern tanks to defend itself against Russian aggression, Danilov claimed that "the quicker we get help, the quicker we can solve this problem". The top security official also explained why he's convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin will not use nuclear weapons, saying: "Putin is just not the kind of person one needs to be afraid of. He'll never press the nuclear button. He's simply a coward."
FRANCE 24 spoke to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Gloomy economic forecasts have cast a long shadow over this year's event in the Swiss Alps. But Georgieva said that although the IMF projects 2023 to be "a difficult year" and for growth to fall further, "we don't expect a global recession". She cited resilient labour markets and consumer spending, the post-Covid reopening of China and signs of inflation trending downwards.
France's former president François Hollande granted an interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI on Wednesday, some 10 years after launching Operation Serval, which ousted armed rebels and Islamist militants from northern Mali. Hollande defended the record of French military operations in the Sahel region and expressed regret at the arrival of mercenaries from the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Tirana Hassan, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch, which is publishing its annual report this week. Although the report reveals the grim picture of a world shattered by multiple crises, our guest believes the attacks carried out against democratic institutions, such as in Brazil, show the "desperation of autocrats, despots and strongmen who are beginning to lose power", adding that "there are cracks in the autocratic armour of the Chinese government". Hassan also welcomed the response of the international community to the war in Ukraine.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Hamed Esmaeilion as to why he believes the Iranian authorities intentionally “sacrificed” the 176 passengers of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 shot down on January 8, 2020. Esmaeilion told Marc Perelman why the ongoing protests in Iran “can't be silenced and will continue until the end of the Islamic regime”.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Lina Attalah, co-founder and editor of the independent Egyptian media outlet Mada Masr. In late August, the paper published a story about corruption within the ruling Nation's Future Party, which backs President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. As a result, Attalah and three of her staffers were charged with criminal offences, including "publishing false news", before being released on bail. In a country where press freedom is shrinking, independent Egyptian journalists "feel really lonely", she said.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, co-laureate of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize and editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, an independent media outlet that was forced to suspend publication in Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. At the 30th annual Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Awards, Muratov described the muzzling of the press in Russia as a pillar of Kremlin propaganda. He added that while Moscow can "destroy" Ukraine's infrastructure, "it will never be able to conquer it".
Can Dundar, the former editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet, one of Turkey's main newspapers, discussed the press freedom situation in his native country during an interview with FRANCE 24. "If you are challenging the government's interests, you are branded a terrorist or a traitor," he said. Dundar added that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was trying to create chaos in a bid to win the next elections, scheduled for June 2023.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 from Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have "severe, dramatic consequences for Russia", calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's nuclear rhetoric "reckless and dangerous". However, the NATO chief said he believes "the likelihood of any use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine by Russia remains low". Meanwhile, Stoltenberg called the Russian strategy of targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure "a brutal form of warfare" and "a way to weaponise winter", but said he was confident that the Ukrainians would continue to resist.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal gave an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv in which he accused Russia of conducting "terrorist" attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure but stressed that Ukraine would win the war in order to protect their democracy, their families, and their freedom.
The new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Austria's Volker Türk, granted a wide-ranging interview to FRANCE 24 from Geneva. This week, the High Commissioner travelled to Ukraine to observe first-hand the consequences of Russia's invasion on the Ukrainian people. During his visit, Türk had to take cover in an underground shelter in Kyiv as Russian missiles hit civilian targets. Speaking to FRANCE 24, he condemned what he called "war crimes" in Ukraine: "The picture that emerges is [one of] torture, summary executions, disappearances, wilful killings of civilians and that's very, very tragic and shocking."
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), addressed the danger of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine in an interview with FRANCE 24 from Vienna. "We expect that no use of a nuclear weapon whatsoever will take place in this or in any other conflict," Grossi said when asked about recent threats by Moscow. He went on to call the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant "very precarious", adding that he was still hoping for a deal on the establishment of a demilitarised safe zone around the plant. "We need to do this now. It's not impossible, we have a credible, viable proposal on the table," he said.
The human rights defender Bianca Jagger continues her battle against the political repression of the Ortega regime in Nicaragua, where she was born. Several bishops and priests are incarcerated in Nicaragua, where the Catholic Church is suspected of supporting the opposition. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Jagger appealed directly to Pope Francis, asking him to "condemn" the acts of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, Ortega's wife. She also urged the international community to "impose serious sanctions" on the regime, saying it is committing "crimes against humanity".
The European Space Agency (ESA) unveiled its new class of career astronauts on Wednesday, selecting France's Sophie Adenot and four other candidates from a list of more than 22,500 applicants. A helicopter pilot in the French army, Adenot becomes France's second woman astronaut after Claudie Haigneré. She spoke to FRANCE 24 about reaching this historic milestone, what inspired her to become an astronaut and why she feels space exploration is important.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 in Strasbourg, the chairman of the environment committee at the European Parliament reacted to the recent COP27 climate summit in Egypt. Pascal Canfin hailed the deal on "loss and damage" for vulnerable countries as "better than nothing" and welcomed the fact that China has been asked to contribute to it.
In her first interview since the start of this year's uprising in Iran, lawyer Shirin Ebadi talks to FRANCE 24 about the Iranian people's desire for democracy. Ebadi was Iran's first female judge before losing her right to practice in 1979 amid the creation of the Islamic Republic. She has dedicated her life to defending the most vulnerable in Iran, and tried to demonstrate the contradictions of the Islamic laws. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 2003, she was forced to flee Iran in 2009.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan reacted to the November 3 assassination attempt against him at a protest rally, during which he was shot in the leg. Officially, the gunman is believed to have acted alone, but Khan said he suspected the assailant was merely a decoy serving the interests of a state-level conspiracy. He directly accused current top Pakistani government leaders, saying they feel threatened by his party's popularity in view of the next elections in the country. Khan also said he feared he could be attacked again in the near future: "They think that the only way to get me out of the way is actually [to] eliminate me. So I think that there is a threat, still."
Argentinian President Alberto Fernández spoke to FRANCE 24 after being a guest speaker at the Paris Peace Forum, which ran from November 11-12 this year. Fernández also took part in a roundtable discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron, Colombian President Gustavo Petro and members of the Venezuelan opposition.
The war against drugs has killed more than a million people in Latin America without denting the power of drug trafficking mafias, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro tells FRANCE 24 and RFI in a wide-ranging interview that also touches on the war in Ukraine, the climate emergency and the tentative peace process with the ELN rebel guerrilla in Colombia.
In 2014, Nadia Murad was captured, alongside many other Yazidi women, by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in the Iraqi town of Sinjar. She was held hostage, enslaved, tortured and raped, before escaping to Mosul and making her way to Germany. After sharing the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize with Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, she is now a leading global advocate for survivors of genocide and sexual violence. Nadia Murad spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Paris Peace Forum.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo discussed the sanctions imposed on Moscow in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The sanctions are working and that's why Russia is working so hard to evade them," he said. Adeyemo also discussed the cap on the price of Russian oil announced by the G7. He confirmed that this "will happen" on December 5 and predicted a knock-on effect among other buyers of Russian oil, such as China and India, who will likely demand lower prices as a result.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Iranian television host Ehsan Karami says he has no desire to return to his homeland where the government continues its harsh crackdown on mass protests sparked by the death last month of Mahsa Amani. The 22-year-old woman died just days after she was arrested and beaten by Iran's "morality police" for allegedly wearing an "improper" hijab. Outrage over her killing has led to protests worldwide – women chopped off their hair and many Muslim women burned their hijabs. Karami, now living in California, says he is determined to use his voice to support the Iranian people who have been rising up in unprecedented numbers in defiance of Iran's repressive regime.
Ukrainian MP Maria Mezentseva is part of a working group, created by President Volodymyr Zelensky, tasked with campaigning for a special international tribunal to prosecute the crime of "aggression" in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She joins FRANCE 24 from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.
FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman interviewed London Mayor Sadiq Khan from Buenos Aires, where he is chairing the C40 World Mayors Summit. The conference is focused on finding concrete, local solutions for the fight against climate change. The London mayor said he aims to keep alive the 2015 Paris agreement target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius.
Joseph Wu, the current foreign affairs minister of Taiwan, was interviewed in Taipei by FRANCE 24’s Cyril Payen. In the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan fears a similar situation as China is determined to claim the island as part of its territory, like it did over a century ago. China’s President Xi Jinping is increasingly menacing and has ordered regular military exercises around the island. Taiwan is wary of a possible invasion from the mainland, and is calling for help.
Speaking to FRANCE 24, Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist and women's rights activist exiled in the US, called Iran’s ongoing protest movement "a revolution". Iran is currently seeing unprecedented demonstrations ignited by the death of Masah Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in the custody of the morality police after being arrested for improperly wearing her headscarf. Alinejad expressed confidence that, unlike previous failed movements, this one was "the beginning of the end" for the regime.
The Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, runaway inflation and climate change are all fuelling a global food security crisis. Gayle E. Smith is the chief executive officer of the ONE Campaign, an NGO co-founded by the singer Bono. She spoke to FRANCE 24 about fighting extreme poverty in the world, particularly in the Horn of Africa. "There is a great likelihood that Somalia will fall into famine very soon. It's on the horizon and it's not getting the attention it needs," she warned.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court spoke about alleged war crimes in Ukraine with FRANCE 24, Karim A. A. Khan KC urged Russia to cooperate with the ICC and said "we've got no political agenda". Asked about Russian FM Sergei Lavrov's claim that the ICC is not investigating potential crimes by Ukraine, Khan said he had already made it clear that "all parties in the conflict have clear responsibilities".
In an interview with FRANCE 24 from Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba struck a defiant tone, saying that the planned annexation this Friday by Russia of four Ukrainian regions following so-called referendums changes "nothing" for Ukraine and the world. The top Ukrainian diplomat said that the annexations and the recent partial mobilisation in Russia were a "sign of weakness" of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but added that "many Russians will die simply because Putin can’t recognise that he is losing this war".
In an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said that using nuclear weapons was not the solution regarding the war in Ukraine. Russia has sent nuclear-capable missiles to Belarus, while Belarusian warplanes have been modified to carry nuclear weapons. Makei stressed the need to "sit down at the diplomatic table and find the solution". "We are interested in stopping this conflict as soon as possible," he insisted.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said that his country had concerns about a possible revived nuclear deal between Western powers and Iran, especially over IAEA inspections. However, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that even a flawed deal was better than no deal. He said that there were still differences with Iran that currently precluded him meeting with his Iranian counterpart, but said "we certainly have the intent to build a positive relationship with our neighbours in Iran".
Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum granted an interview to FRANCE 24's Marc Perelman and RFI's Christophe Boisbouvier on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Bazoum expressed concern about the worsening security situation in Mali and the jihadist threat hanging over the Malian town of Ménaka in the wake of France's military withdrawal. He also discussed the case of 46 Ivorian soldiers who are detained in Mali, accused of being mercenaries. Bazoum recalled that Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara had worked hard for the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions against the Malian authorities. "I believe he was betrayed," Bazoum said.
William Ruto, Kenya's new president, granted an interview to FRANCE 24's Marc Perelman on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Ruto warned that the worst drought in 40 years risks causing starvation in the Horn of Africa, adding that "3.1 million people are facing severe drought" in Kenya alone. "This is no longer a country-by-country challenge. This is becoming a multilateral challenge," he insisted, calling on multilateral institutions and lenders for support. Ruto blamed climate change for the drought but stressed that the situation had been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the resulting fall in grain exports to Africa.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari told FRANCE 24 the floods that ravaged his country had created a catastrophe of apocalyptical proportions. In addition to more than 1,500 deaths, the disaster has caused dual health and food security crises. Zardari said Pakistan needs some $30 billion in aid and praised international efforts under way to offer help. Neighbouring India, however, has failed to offer assistance, said Zardari, who condemned the country's government as "racist" and "Islamophobic".
In an interview with FRANCE 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Iraq's Foreign inister Fuad Hussein said he was hoping to host a meeting in Baghdad between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Hussein said that after five meetings between intelligence officials of the two rival powers in recent months, it was time to upgrade and have the two top diplomats meet in person. He added that while there were still disagreements on a number of issues, his discussions with both sides had left him encouraged that a breakthrough was possible.
Two days before the start of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he hoped the International Criminal Court (ICC) would be able to investigate the alleged massacre in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium in an interview with FRANCE 24’s Marc Perelman and RFI’s Christophe Boisbouvier.
A lightning Ukrainian counter-offensive has recaptured 6,000 square kilometres of territory in the country's northeast and south since the start of September, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukraine's deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration said that this advance was the turning point, not only of the Russian invasion that started on February 24 but also "of the war that started in the spring of 2014". Olga Stefanishyna spoke to Marc Perelman from Kyiv.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away last week after reigning for 70 years over a Commonwealth of Nations that included Barbados until November 2021, when the country became a republic. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the queen "did extraordinary well as the head of the United Kingdom and, indeed, as head of the Commonwealth".
Pavel Filatyev is a former Russian soldier who fought for two months in Ukraine. In an online journal, he denounced the invasion of Ukraine and the pitiful state of the Russian army. Out of fear of reprisals, he fled his country with the help of an NGO. The 34-year-old former paratrooper arrived in France last week via Tunisia. He is now under police protection and plans to seek political asylum. In an interview with FRANCE 24, he recounted his decision to flee, his journey to France and what Russians really think of the war in Ukraine.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, French foreign ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre discussed the current challenges faced by French diplomats and explained the "diplomacy of combat" championed by President Emmanuel Macron at a recent address to French ambassadors. Russia's hybrid war in Ukraine includes a "disinformation war" that must be countered, she said. "The president as well as the [foreign] minister called on us to be much more [present] on social media and much more forceful in defending our position and in countering disinformation," Legendre added.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Dr. Cary Fowler, the US Special Envoy for Global Food Security, discussed the issue of global hunger, particularly in Africa. Dr. Fowler hailed the arrival in Djibouti of a UN-chartered ship loaded with 23,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat, destined for millions at risk of starvation in Ethiopia and Somalia. "Ukraine's grain is getting out and it's getting to the world's hungry," he said, stressing that the docking of the bulk carrier MV Brave Commander "gives us some hope" and is "a step in the right direction".
A report released by Amnesty International marking one year since the withdrawal of US and NATO troops concludes that the Taliban has decimated the rights of girls and women in Afghanistan. To understand exactly what's happening in the country today, FRANCE 24 spoke to Dr. Habiba Sarabi, a former Afghan minister for women's affairs and former governor of Bamiyan province. She urged the international community to "take responsibility for the Afghan people and Afghan women in particular".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba answered questions from France 24. He spoke about the agreement on Ukrainian wheat, the delivery of arms to Ukraine and the military situation on the ground, especially around the city of Kherson. He stressed that Ukraine would do everything in its power to resume the export of agricultural products and combat famine and rising food prices especially in Africa and Asia.
The world faces a catastrophic collapse of societies if action is not taken to stop the breaching of “planetary boundaries” – safe spaces within which humanity could continue to develop and thrive. That is the stark warning from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University. One of the centre’s researchers, Tom Cernev, who authored a paper that was recently published by the UN’s Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, is our guest in the France 24 interview.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, British Foreign Minister Liz Truss said that the United Kingdom is prepared to keep supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes for Kyiv to repel the Russian military. "We're in it for the long haul and that's also true of our NATO allies and our G7 allies," she explained. Truss added that diplomatic tensions between Paris and London have been put aside as Western states unite around supporting Ukraine.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke to FRANCE 24 a day after the visit of the French, German, Italian and Romanian leaders to Kyiv and Irpin. While welcoming this display of European unity with Ukraine, Podolyak called for more heavy weapons to be sent to his country. He said that such a move would change the situation on the ground in favour of the Ukrainian troops, faced with Russian advances in the eastern Donbas region.
Rwanda's Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta granted an interview to FRANCE 24 to discuss the increasingly tense situation with neighbouring DR Congo. Earlier this Friday, a Congolese soldier crossed the border and was killed by Rwandan security forces, while two Rwandan soldiers were wounded. Fighting between Congolese troops and a rebel movement called the M23 has inflamed tensions between the two neighbours. Biruta dismissed fears that the tensions could lead to a war. He also insisted that Rwanda was "committed" to its deal with the UK to take in asylum seekers, despite the first flight being cancelled earlier this week.
Egypt's Minister of International Cooperation, Rania A. Al-Mashat, granted an interview to FRANCE 24 in Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan. Although the war in Ukraine is threatening Egypt's food security, the minister believes that "pre-emptive action" undertaken by Cairo in the past few years will help "mitigate" the impact of a possible wheat shortage. Al-Mashat also called for the COP27 climate summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in November to be one turning of "pledges" into "implementation".
After being definitively acquitted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court last year, Charles Blé Goudé, the former right-hand man of ex-Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, is expected to soon return to Ivory Coast after more than a decade in exile. On May 30, Blé Goudé received an Ivorian passport via the current president, Alassane Ouattara. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Blé Goudé discussed his upcoming return home, as well as his political ambitions.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu reacted to the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine and the impact on his country. While admitting that "the degree of insecurity in the region is high", Popescu said he saw "no immediate or imminent threat of hostile military action directed against Moldova". He also weighed in on Moldova's EU ambitions, saying "we want to see Moldova in the European Union as a neutral state".
Since February 24, Ukraine has been putting up fierce resistance against Russia: on the ground, but also in the digital sphere. FRANCE 24 spoke with Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, George Dubinskiy. He explained that Ukraine, which suffered several large-scale cyberattacks long before February 24, has been in a digital war against Moscow "since 2014" and is defending not only its land borders, but also digital ones.
Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis granted an interview to FRANCE 24 from the capital Nicosia. The northern third of the Republic of Cyprus has been under Turkish domination since 1974. Anastasiadis said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine uses the "exact same arguments that Turkey used to invade Cyprus". Asked about tensions with Turkey over hydrocarbons, he expressed hope that Ankara will not "will not attempt to do anything that will cause conflagration and risk peace in the region".
FRANCE 24 interviewed Kao Kim Hourn, Cambodia's minister delegate to Prime Minister Hun Sen, from the World Economic Forum in Davos. Hourn said he believes a full reconciliation with the US will occur. He affirmed that no Chinese military base has been established in Cambodia, and said that China does not dominate the country's economy despite owning most of its debt.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko expressed concern over the fate of the Ukrainian soldiers evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the eastern city of Mariupol, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin should "never" be trusted. Ukrainian authorities say the fighters have been taken to areas under the control of Russian forces or pro-Russian rebels and will be exchanged at a later date for Russian prisoners.
Duwa Lashi La is the acting president of the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar, a parallel government formed in opposition to the junta after the latter seized power in a February 2021 coup. Speaking to FRANCE 24 from a secret location in the country, Duwa Lashi La said that "within a year, we achieved significant success on the military and administrative fronts". He claimed that his People's Defence Force controls 15 percent of Myanmar and that combined with the ethnic resistance groups, the "collective resistance forces" control "almost 50 percent" of the country.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's top aid, Igor Zhovka, spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The deputy head of the presidential office assessed the situation on the two main front lines of the country, in Donbas and Mariupol, the latter of which he said was a city almost wiped out by Russian shelling but which he said will "never surrender". Zhovka hailed the reelection of President Emmanuel Macron but said he also expects more from France, including a more consistent supply of heavy weaponry.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the bloc "will continue" providing military support to Ukraine, while taking care not to become a "belligerent" in the conflict. Speaking to Europe Editor Catherine Nicholson, Borrell added that he expects the EU to eventually impose a total ban on imports of Russian oil in a bid to reduce the Kremlin's ability to finance its war in Ukraine.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova discussed the alleged war crimes committed by the Russian military in Ukraine. Venediktova warned that she expects to find "evidence of genocide" in the besieged eastern city of Mariupol. She also warned that "huge numbers of people" are being deported to Russia, including children. The prosecutor general said that "sexual crimes" have taken place in all occupied areas of Ukraine and have targeted women, including even elderly women, but also men and children. Venediktova explained that more than 7,000 war crimes investigations have already been opened.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged France and President Emmanuel Macron to call atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine a "genocide”. Macron earlier this week refused to use the term, a decision that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called "painful". Kuleba welcomed the latest weapons deliveries from Kyiv's international partners, especially from the US, but urged Germany to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons. The top diplomat also conceded that the future of the war will be decided "on the battleground" and not at the negotiating table.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov said that what was happening in Ukraine is indeed "a war" and that Russia "quite obviously" started it. In his native Russia, the conflict is being called a "special military operation" and describing it as a war is against the law. Serebrennikov said the "tragedy" in Ukraine breaks his heart and expressed concern that the war could transform into "hatred" [...] and destroy our hearts, our lives, our careers, everything". The director also criticised the boycott of Russian artists by Western countries.
Indian mystic and visionary Sadhguru is making a 100-day motorbike journey from Europe to India to raise awareness of soil erosion. He told FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza why he feels his mission is important for humankind. With more than half of agricultural soils are already degraded, Sadhguru warned that "there is no alternative to soil". He also described his own personal journey, saying that he does not see himself as a guru.
The town of Bucha has become the "symbol" of massacres by Russian troops and "compromise with Russia is impossible after Bucha", Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko told FRANCE 24 in an interview from Kyiv. Poroshenko added that Vladimir Putin "wants to have all of us dead", calling the Russian leader "the devil". He also called for an unconditional ceasefire before any talks, a stance currently at odds with the official Ukrainian position.
Exiled Russian dissident Ilya Ponomarev gave an interview to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv. The former Russian lawmaker was the only member of the Douma to vote against the annexation of Crimea back in 2014 and now lives in Ukraine. He predicted that "Putin will be gone soon", arguing that the Russian president has "definitely lost the war" in Ukraine and that "no dictator who has lost a war can stay in power". Asked about the suspected war crimes in Bucha that have shocked the world, Ponomarev claimed that the killings were most likely the results of "panic" by retreating Russian forces, rather than carefully planned.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI on Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys had led to various declarations but "no action", adding that it was time Russia made some moves toward conciliation. He also warned of an "appalling" situation unfolding in the port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine.
Leonid Volkov, a top aide to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Tuesday. He expressed concern about the safety of his boss, who was recently sentenced to nine more years in prison, saying that the world “should keep an eye on him”.
Igor Zhovkva is the deputy head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and also his chief diplomatic adviser. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Zhovkva underlined Zelensky's willingness to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to end the war in Ukraine, but stressed that Russia had until now rejected such an offer. Zhovkva also said that Ukraine wants "guarantees" from the United States and major European powers regarding its future security.
In an extraordinary show of dissent, journalist Marina Ovsyannikova held up an anti-war poster on Russian state television on Monday before being arrested, fined and later released by authorities. In an interview with FRANCE 24, she spoke out against Russian state "propaganda" and called for an end to the "fratricidal" war in Ukraine.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spoke to FRANCE 24 about the serious concerns regarding the safety of Ukraine’s 15 nuclear plants following Russia’s invasion. Grossi said he has had constructive talks with the warring sides, who both agree that “something needs to be done” to safeguard the safety of the plants, but that the IAEA is still working on an agreement to ensure that the risk “of a nuclear accident is completely excluded”.
The Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, spoke to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital now surrounded by Russian forces. The brothers called on the West to support Ukraine in any way possible, whether it be through stronger sanctions against the Russians or by sending military equipment. For them, the war in Ukraine goes beyond the country's borders: they say they are fighting to protect Europe, and to protect its democratic values.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna confirmed an attack from Russian forces on a children's hospital in the city of Mariupol, saying "there is no doubt this has been a targeted attack". She also warned that Russia had shut off the Chernobyl nuclear plant and claimed that this was part of a series of reckless actions that increase the threat of a nuclear accident.
Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets granted an interview to FRANCE 24. Her country is one of the five EU member states that border Russia. Liimets explained why Estonia strongly supports Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. She also warned that "we have to be very cautious" in talks with Russia, adding that "we have to be prepared for long-term instability in Europe" as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as "absolutely irresponsible" and called the Russian invasion of Ukraine an "absolutely senseless war". Sefcovic also welcomed Ukraine's bid for EU membership, saying that Ukrainians are "dying for European values […] we want them in".
In an interview with FRANCE 24, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court discussed the court's investigation into possible war crimes committed during Russia's war in Ukraine. Karim Khan expressed concern about civilians being targeted in Ukraine, warning that this constituted "a crime". Asked about possible ICC proceedings against Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, Khan said: "We'll see: is there individual criminal responsibility? And if there is, we will take the necessary action".
Exiled Russian Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in an interview with FRANCE 24 from London that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is political "suicide" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who "cannot win in Ukraine, even if he manages to take Kyiv or Kharkiv". This war is the result of an "emotional decision" by Putin, the former oligarch said.
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs told FRANCE 24 in an interview from the Latvian capital Riga on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to install a puppet regime in Kyiv. But, Rinkevics said, he believes such a plan "will fail", as the Kremlin doesn’t have the military capacity to occupy Ukraine and "winning over the minds of Ukrainians after what the Russians are doing is almost impossible".
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu reacted to the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. With more NATO troops and weaponry set to be deployed in Romania in the coming days, the top diplomat said that this move "cannot be seen as a provocation" but was instead a "legitimate response" by the Alliance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Asked about the humanitarian situation at the border, Aurescu said that Romania was open to "all those in need".
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili reacted to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Georgian leader said she was "not too convinced" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's assurances that he is willing to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Zurabishvili added that the only party that is escalating the war in Ukraine is Putin himself.
Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko granted an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, just a few kilometres away from Russian troops. Poroshenko, who was in power from 2014 to 2019, welcomed the "growing" Western support for his country, as well as the EU's decision to provide some €450 million in weapons to the Ukrainian military. He thanked EU leaders for their support, saying "we are not afraid of Putin" and "Putin is weak when we are together".
FRANCE 24 spoke to Sir John Sawers, the former head of Britain’s secret intelligence service. Sawers, who headed the MI6 between 2009 and 2014, said that if Russia’s President Vladimir Putin decides to take military action against Ukraine, it would be in his interest to limit an invasion to eastern Ukraine. But, he cautioned: “There is no doubt that Russia has the capability to carry out a full invasion, take over Kiev, and install a puppet regime.”
In a interview with FRANCE 24 at the EU-African Union summit in Brussels, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo said the French-led troop withdrawal from Mali required "new arrangements" in the regional fight against terrorism. Akufo-Addo, who is also the current chairman of West African bloc ECOWAS, demanded the departure of "foreign mercenaries" from the region and explained that negotiations are underway with the Malian junta on an election timetable. He called the junta's proposal of a four-year transition "clearly unacceptable" and said a 12-month transition period would be "an acceptable framework", while stressing that this was not official ECOWAS position.
Six months after the Taliban retook Afghanistan, FRANCE 24 spoke to former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, who remains in the country. Karzai strongly criticised the Biden administration's recent decision to unfreeze Afghan assets but divide the funds between aid to Afghanistan and victims of the 9/11 attacks, saying the funds "belong to the Afghan people". He also said he believed the Taliban would eventually allow girls to return to school, since doing so is "absolutely necessary for the well-being" of Afghanistan.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Russia's Permanent Representative to the European Union denied that the six Russian naval ships in the Black Sea have anything to do with Ukraine. Vladimir A. Chizhov also insisted that Moscow has no intention to make a move on Ukrainian territory and reiterated that the Kremlin is committed to a diplomatic outcome to the crisis.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said that African countries have said "loud and clear" that Israel won’t be an observer state at the African Union. He added that Arab-Israeli normalization is “a violation of Arab League decisions and resolutions”, and said that US President Joe Biden's administration and the international community need to advocate for a two-state solution to the conflict between the Palestinian Territories and Israel.
Salima Mukansanga, 33, became the first female referee to officiate a game at the Africa Cup of Nations when she oversaw the Zimbabwe-Guinea tie in this year's group stage. She sat down with FRANCE 24's James Vasina to tell us more about her journey and what her experience means for women in the male-dominated world of football.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Ramy Shaath, an Egyptian-Palestinian activist who spent two and half years in jail in Egypt on accusations of aiding a terrorist group. He was a member of several secular political groups and a co-founder of the pro-Palestinian BDS movement. Shaath, who was never formally charged, described the conditions of his arrest, detention and finally his release from jail on January 8. He claimed "arbitrary detentions and arrests" increasingly account for "the majority" of inmates in Egyptian prisons under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He also said he understood that he was expected to keep silent following his release and had already received threats.
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi granted an interview to FRANCE 24. Earlier this month, peaceful protests against a hike in energy prices in Kazakhstan sparked a brutal crackdown, backed up by military support from Russian-led troops. The official death toll stands at 225, but human rights groups believe it to be much higher. Tileuberdi said the Kazakhstani authorities were ready to share "proof" with the international community that there were foreign terrorists among the "armed militants". So far, witnesses on the ground have not backed up this claim.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Lu Shaye, the Chinese ambassador to France. He insisted Beijing was prioritising "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan, but said the Chinese authorities had "not ruled out the use of force" – not with the intention of targeting "the people of Taiwan", but rather to dissuade "separatists in Taiwan" and certain "foreign forces". The Chinese diplomat also said he was "sure" there would be no mass surge in Covid-19 cases during the Winter Olympics, which open in Beijing on February 4.
Enes Kanter Freedom is a Turkish-born basketball player who is now a US citizen and plays for the Boston Celtics. He is also a human rights activist. In an interview with FRANCE 24, Freedom criticised billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk for opening a Tesla showroom in China's Xinjiang region, where the minority Uighurs are persecuted. He also accused Nike – the NBA's main sponsor – of "modern slavery" in China. Ahead of the Beijing Olympics, Freedom called on athletes to make their voices heard, saying the diplomatic boycott was "good but not enough".
FRANCE 24 spoke to Mahbouba Seraj, a leading women's rights activist in Afghanistan. She told us the Taliban have to "give in" on "red lines" such as women's access to education and work in order to "continue governing". With Afghanistan in dire need of financial assistance, Seraj said she was "angry at the whole world", especially US President Joe Biden. "You cannot let the people of this country die," she said in an emotional plea to the international community.
Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu granted an interview to FRANCE 24 from Taipei. He warned that the threat from China was "very serious" and that Taiwan needs to "be prepared" for possible Chinese military action, "whether it is an all-out invasion or a small skirmish with our military."
It has become a major preoccupation of many governments across the globe; how to build a productive diplomatic relationship with China. This particularly as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to ratchet upwards with Beijing's Winter Olympic Games in February now facing an American diplomatic boycott. Annette Young talks to Canadian-Chinese journalist and author, Joanna Chiu, whose new book 'China Unbound' argues how democracies have effectively enabled Beijing's campaign to increase its global influence. She speaks about the diplomatic toolkit required to ensure a healthy and robust relationship with China.
French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly granted an interview to FRANCE 24 and RFI in Dakar, Senegal. Parly slammed a "disinformation campaign" aimed at creating "anti-French discourse" in Africa's Sahel region, as France reorganises its military presence there. The minister said she did not believe Russian Wagner Group mercenaries were in the Malian capital Bamako, but added that "that does not mean the current Malian authorities are not planning to bring them there". The arrival of Russian mercenaries in Mali would be "simply unacceptable", she said.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said a preliminary agreement remains "possible" as international negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme have just resumed in Vienna in an attempt to salvage the 2015 agreement. But there is "little time left" according to Grossi, and Tehran must guarantee more transparency to the IAEA, in Iran's own interest.
Riyad Al-Maliki, the Palestinian Authority's foreign minister, granted an interview to FRANCE 24. The top Palestinian diplomat regretted that the idea of a Palestinian state is "shrinking". Al-Maliki, who believes an Israeli annexation of the West Bank is "not off the table", called for the urgent resumption of negotiations with Israel.
In an interview with FRANCE 24 at the Paris Peace Forum, US billionaire Frank McCourt strongly criticised tech giants, saying social media is "undermining our democracies". The owner of French football club Olympique de Marseille told us more about his Project Liberty plan. He has invested $100 million in the initiative, which he hopes will "transform the way the internet works".
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said talks with Iran would continue and that an additional round of negotiations between the regional rivals was expected soon.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told FRANCE 24 that recent coups in West Africa are undermining democracy and that events have reached a crucial juncture for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc. “Clearly it is a threat, it is an unfortunate precedent,” he said.
In an interview with FRANCE 24, Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said it was time to reassess Western policy vis-à-vis Syria and that the approach followed in recent years had failed. “The only end to the crisis is a political solution,” he added. The Jordanian minister also hinted that his country was favourable to bringing Syria back into the Arab League.
FRANCE 24 spoke to Antonio Vitorino, the director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the world's main intergovernmental body dealing with migration. This year, more than 30 million people were displaced because of climate change, according to IOM figures. Amid some pessimism over the likely outcome of the upcoming COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Vitorino warned world leaders: "We need to act immediately".
FRANCE 24 spoke to Jerry Tardieu, national coordinator of Haiti's "En Avant" (Forwards) political movement and a former opposition MP. Haiti is still reeling from the July assassination of the president, as well as recent kidnappings of missionaries and a deadly earthquake. Tardieu told us that the widespread chaos in the country can be explained by "a collusive relationship" between the authorities and all-powerful armed gangs. Gangs now control "most neighbourhoods of the capital" Port-au-Prince, Tardieu said.
Lazarus Chakwera, the president of Malawi, who is also currently chair of the Southern African Development Community, gave an interview to FRANCE 24 from Dubai. He hailed Malawi and Zambia as "examples of what democracy is about". Chakwera insisted that overall, "democracy is getting consolidated" on the continent, in spite of "erratic events", referring to the recent coups in Mali, Guinea and now Sudan. He described such coups as being "not the African way".
October 9th, 2021 was the 40th anniversary of France’s abolition of the death penalty. To mark the occasion, President Emmanuel Macron announced the organisation of a “high-level meeting” at the United Nations starting in early 2022. The meeting’s goal? To “convince” leaders of countries that still use the death penalty of the “urgency of abolishing it”. Robert Badinter, who served as France’s justice minister 40 years ago when the death penalty was abolished, continues to fight for the universal abolition of capital punishment. He speaks to FRANCE 24.
FRANCE 24 spoke to this year's joint Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, co-founder of the digital media company Rappler and an outspoken critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Asked whether journalism is becoming more dangerous around the world, she told FRANCE 24: "It is more dangerous, it requires more sacrifices, just to do what journalists have always done."