Russia has prohibited two French lawmakers and two French journalists from entering the country in a tit-for-tat move following France’s expulsion of a pro-Kremlin media commentator earlier this year.
Targeted Figures and Expulsion Background
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced on Wednesday that lawmakers Sacha Houlie and Arthur Delaporte, along with journalists Paul Gogo and Ariane Chemin, have been barred from entering Russian territory. Zakharova explained that the restrictions were imposed over the alleged harassment of Xenia Fedorova, who served as the head of state-funded network RT France from 2017 to 2023.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot designated Fedorova as an “agent of influence” and expelled her from the country in July. Ordering her removal, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez accused Fedorova of distributing Russian propaganda in an effort to target “the fundamental interests of the nation.” Fedorova, who later wrote for right-wing media in France, condemned the move as censorship, while Moscow promised to retaliate against what it termed persecution.
Reactions to the Entry Bans
Following the announcement from Moscow, Sacha Houlie addressed the entry ban in a social media statement, interpreting the sanction as an endorsement of his legislative actions regarding national security.
“What is intended as a sanction strikes me as recognition of my work against foreign interference in France,” Houlie wrote on X.
Houlie pointed to his contribution to a Parliamentary Intelligence Delegation report, his sponsorship of a 2024 law aimed at blocking foreign interference, and his involvement in securing Fedorova’s removal.
European Union officials have consistently criticized Russian state-backed outlets, characterizing them as tools for Kremlin messaging. Russia has barred dozens of Western lawmakers and journalists from entering the country since starting its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
