About: Jean-Yves Le Drian
US, France warn Russia any use of chemical weapons would have consequences
US and French officials warned Russia on Wednesday (16 March) that the country would bear a heavy responsibility if it used chemical or bacteriological weapons in Ukraine.
EU slams Russian lawmakers’ bid to recognise separatist Ukraine regions
The EU on Tuesday (15 February) condemned a bid by Russian lawmakers to have President Vladimir Putin recognise separatist regions in Ukraine as independent, saying it would violate the Minsk agreements Moscow had signed up to.
France urges EU sanctions against Mali
France is to press the European Union to agree sanctions against Mali after its military-dominated leadership shelved a timetable for elections, the French foreign minister said on Wednesday (12 January).
Russian court orders rights group Memorial to close
Russia's Supreme Court on Tuesday (28 December) ordered the closure of Memorial, the country's most prominent rights group that chronicled Stalin-era purges and symbolised post-Soviet democratisation.
Russia publishes Ukraine-related diplomatic correspondence with France, Germany
The Russian foreign ministry published on Wednesday (17 November) a number of diplomatic letters it exchanged with Germany and France to try to show that its diplomatic stance on talks over east Ukraine has been misrepresented.
France eyes momentum at UN on Iran nuclear deal talks
France's top diplomat said Monday (20 September) that he hoped a meeting of foreign ministers in New York this week would build positive momentum towards kick-starting stalled talks over the Iran nuclear deal.
EU backs France in submarine dispute, asking: Is America back?
European Union foreign ministers expressed support and solidarity with France on Monday (20 September) during a meeting in New York to discuss Australia's scrapping of a $40 billion submarine order with Paris in favor of a US and British deal.
France says Biden acted like Trump to sink Australia defence deal
France accused US President Joe Biden on Thursday (16 September) of stabbing it in the back and acting like his predecessor Donald Trump after Paris was pushed aside from a historic defence export contract to supply Australia with submarines.
EU wants Lebanese sanctions regime framework by end July
The European Union said on Monday (12 July) it wanted to agree by the end of July the legal framework for a sanctions regime targeting Lebanese leaders, but cautioned that the measure would not be immediately implemented.
African countries deem EU carbon border levy ‘protectionist’
Some African countries consider the EU's planned carbon border levy to be "protectionist". That was the upshot of a conference organised by the French government on Tuesday (23 March), which examined the challenges posed by the EU's upcoming mechanism. EURACTIV France reports.
Turkey has stopped insulting us but action still needed, France says
Turkey has stopped insulting France and the European Union, providing some reassurance, but ties will remain fragile until it takes concrete action, France's foreign minister said.
Europe to meet US on Iran as nuclear deadline looms
Top diplomats from European powers and the United States will hold talks on Thursday (18 February) to see how to revive the 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear drive, days ahead of a deadline set by Tehran.
France suggests pause on ‘poisonous’ US-EU trade standoff
The European Union and the US should "pause" a long-running tariff disagreement to allow the issue to be resolved, France's foreign minister suggested Sunday (17 January).
Margin for compromise limited as Brexit talks go down to wire
European diplomats warned Thursday (3 December) they have made all the concessions they can in trade talks with Britain, as Downing Street vowed to press ahead with a UK law that could undermine Brussels' remaining trust in London.
France’s ‘feminist diplomacy’: lots of talk, little action
The term 'feminist diplomacy' used by France since 2018 remains unclear, according to a report by the country's High Council on Gender Equality presented to the government on 18 November. EURACTIV France reports.
France says Turkey’s ‘soothing declarations’ not good enough
France said Sunday (22 November) it expects Turkey to de-escalate international tension with actions instead of words ahead of an EU decision on possible further sanctions against Ankara.
France and Germany tell Turkey to stop provocations
France and Germany accused Turkey on Thursday (15 October) of continuing to provoke the European Union with its actions in the eastern Mediterranean, and urged it to clarify its positions in the coming weeks.
Half Karabakh population displaced as mediators set for Geneva talks
Clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have displaced half of the population of the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, an official said on Wednesday (7 October) as international mediators were set to hold their first meeting in Geneva.
France leads criticism of US ‘attack’ on ICC
France led criticism of US sanctions on the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Thursday (3 September), saying Washington had launched a "serious attack" on the global body.
‘Unrealistic’ UK has caused post-Brexit trade impasse, says France
Talks on a post-Brexit trade deal between the EU and the UK have stalled "because of the UK's uncompromising and, to be frank, unrealistic attitude" France’s Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned on Monday (31 August).
France says virus exacerbating global diplomatic rift
The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating diplomatic "fractures", heightening US-China rivalry and weakening multilateralism, France's foreign minister said in an interview published on Monday (20 April).
EU willing to maintain Iran nuclear deal, risking rift with the US
With the prospects of a potential US-Iran war fading, EU foreign minister during an emergency session on Friday (10 January), said they are willing to maintain the Iran nuclear deal as long as Tehran fulfils its commitments in order to achieve it.
Europeans brace for fallout from Soleimani killing
Fearing the fallout from the killing of Iran's General Soleimani, Europeans on Sunday (5 January) called to de-escalate the crisis which threatens to collapse the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and puts NATO's training mission in Iraq in jeopardy.