Cotonou (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday accused Russia of being "one of the last imperialist colonial powers" after it launched a "war to seize territory" in Ukraine.

He declared during a press conference with his Beninese counterpart, Patrice Talon, in Cotonou, "Russia launched an attack on Ukraine. It is a war to seize lands that we thought Europe got rid of. It is a war from the beginning of the twentieth century until the nineteenth century. I am speaking from a continent (Africa) that suffered from colonialism." ".

"Russia is one of the last forces of imperialist colonialism" with its decision to "invade a neighboring country to defend its interests there," he said.
For the French president, who is on an African tour alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, "Russia has started a new kind of global hybrid war."

He added, "I have decided that the media, energy and food are military tools in the service of an imperialist war against Ukraine," stressing that he wants to "call today's events by their names."

According to him, the Russians are the ones who create "imbalances despite all the diplomatic tours and disinformation they spread around the world," and that Russia is "one of the countries that uses propaganda tools the most forcefully," especially through "Russia Today" and "Sputnik."

He also denounced Moscow's "blackmail" in the matter of food "because it was they who prevented the export of grain from Ukraine" and also in the energy field with the Europeans.

"I think it is wise for the Europeans not to expose themselves to these strategies because they are one of the elements of this hybrid war," he added.

Macron sharply criticized Moscow on Tuesday during his visit to Cameroon, saying he wanted to "expose a lot of lies".
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Uganda that Russia is not responsible for the "energy and food crises," denouncing the "loud campaign on this issue."