Propagandists are spreading information in the media that French President Emmanuel Macron is funding Ukrainian military recruitment offices to mobilize Ukrainians for war. These statements are based on statements by Florian Philippot, a former MEP and populist politician known for his pro-Russian rhetoric. This is reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security.

They say Philippot was an ally of Marie Le Pen. He regularly voices theses that coincide with Russian propaganda, such as demands that Ukraine return military aid to the West. His statements are used to discredit Western support for Ukraine and to give the French a false impression of an allied relationship with Ukraine.

The idea of “using” Ukrainians for foreign interests undermines morale and destroys solidarity within Ukraine. Propagandists seek to create the false impression among the French that aid to Ukraine is a financial burden on their country. Statements such as “France is paying for mobilization” are intended to create the impression that the war in Ukraine is a burden for Europe, provoking anti-Ukrainian sentiment among European voters. The use of statements by politicians such as Philippot aims to reinforce disinformation with the authority of public figures, even if their positions are marginal and pro-Russian.

Such messages are part of a broader Kremlin information war aimed at undermining international support for Ukraine and creating conflicts between Ukraine and its Western partners.