https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed France is to double penalties for ships that fail to fly a flag or refuse to comply, a draft law showed Wednesday, in what an informed source said was a bid to strengthen measures against Russia's "shadow fleet". https://www.thelocal.fr/20260408/france-eyes-tougher-penalties-for-russian-shadow-fleet Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:21:29 +0200 france-eyes-tougher-penalties-for-russian-shadow-fleet French public television came under severe criticism on Friday for airing a prime-time interview with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260328/french-tv-under-fire-over-interview-with-russias-lavrov Sat, 28 Mar 2026 08:12:20 +0100 french-tv-under-fire-over-interview-with-russias-lavrov French authorities in Marseille took control of an oil tanker suspected of sanctions busting on Monday after it arrived in the southern French port days after it was intercepted for being part of a "shadow fleet" used by Russia to export its oil. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260323/russia-linked-tanker-seized-by-france-arrives-in-marseille Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:06:13 +0100 russia-linked-tanker-seized-by-france-arrives-in-marseille Around two thousand people marched in Paris Saturday to show their support for Ukraine, police estimated, just days before the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260222/hundreds-rally-in-paris-to-support-ukraine-after-four-years-of-war Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:32:03 +0100 hundreds-rally-in-paris-to-support-ukraine-after-four-years-of-war In a truck parked in the Kyiv region, Loic Nervi kneaded the dough vigorously before sliding dozens of tins into the oven -- loaves that will later be handed out to Ukrainians. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260221/french-volunteer-bakes-for-ukraine-amid-frosts-and-power-outages Sat, 21 Feb 2026 16:12:50 +0100 french-volunteer-bakes-for-ukraine-amid-frosts-and-power-outages France on Sunday took into custody the Indian captain of an oil tanker suspected of belonging to Russia's sanctions-busting 'shadow fleet' after the vessel failed to fly a flag, prosecutors said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260125/france-detains-captain-of-suspected-russian-shadow-tanker Sun, 25 Jan 2026 14:59:56 +0100 france-detains-captain-of-suspected-russian-shadow-tanker A tanker suspected of being part of Russia's sanctions-busting "shadow fleet" will be escorted to the French port of Marseille-Fos, sources close to the case said Friday, a day after the navy intercepted it. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260124/suspected-russia-shadow-fleet-tanker-bound-for-french-port Sat, 24 Jan 2026 14:40:40 +0100 suspected-russia-shadow-fleet-tanker-bound-for-french-port Moscow has made an offer to Paris regarding jailed French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who is facing espionage charges that could see him sentenced to 20 years in a Russian prison, the Kremlin said on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251225/russia-says-made-proposal-to-france-over-jailed-researcher Thu, 25 Dec 2025 13:48:19 +0100 russia-says-made-proposal-to-france-over-jailed-researcher The French presidency on Sunday welcomed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to speak with Emmanuel Macron, after the French leader said Europe should reach out to Russia again over ending the war in Ukraine. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251221/putin-ready-to-talk-to-frances-macron-on-ukraine-spokesman Sun, 21 Dec 2025 12:23:23 +0100 putin-ready-to-talk-to-frances-macron-on-ukraine-spokesman French President Emmanuel Macron said he will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London on Monday to "take stock" of ongoing US-led negotiations. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251207/macron-says-will-meet-ukraine-uk-and-german-leaders-on-monday Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:02:54 +0100 macron-says-will-meet-ukraine-uk-and-german-leaders-on-monday President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday host Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for talks in Paris, a French presidential official said, as Washington seeks to push a plan aimed at ending the war between Kyiv and Moscow. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251201/zelensky-meets-macron-in-paris-on-monday-to-shore-up-support-for-ukraine Mon, 01 Dec 2025 09:39:24 +0100 zelensky-meets-macron-in-paris-on-monday-to-shore-up-support-for-ukraine The Greenpeace environment group said on Sunday that France was sending reprocessed uranium to Russia for treatment so it can be reused, despite the Kremlin's war in Ukraine. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251117/greenpeace-says-french-uranium-being-sent-to-russia Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:12:11 +0100 greenpeace-says-french-uranium-being-sent-to-russia France's President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday signed an accord for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 fighter jets and other hardware, including drones, in a boost for Ukraine as it fights Russia's invasion. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251117/zelensky-in-paris-to-seek-air-defence-help-for-ukraine Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:47:48 +0100 zelensky-in-paris-to-seek-air-defence-help-for-ukraine Once used to scoop fish from the sea off the coast of France, recycled fishing nets are finding new life in Ukraine to protect the country's roads and military infrastructure from Russian drone attacks. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251025/french-fishing-nets-find-new-purpose-on-ukraines-front-lines Sat, 25 Oct 2025 17:35:19 +0200 french-fishing-nets-find-new-purpose-on-ukraines-front-lines A drone killed a French photojournalist on assignment in eastern Ukraine on Friday and wounded a Ukrainian reporter, officials and media groups said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251004/drone-kills-french-photojournalist-in-ukraine Sat, 04 Oct 2025 10:30:33 +0200 drone-kills-french-photojournalist-in-ukraine For European leaders, the absence of a Ukraine deal at the summit between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump has at least one upside: They have not yet been completely sidelined in a key strategic moment for the Continent's future. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250817/europeans-try-to-stay-on-the-board-after-ukraine-summit Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:07:19 +0200 europeans-try-to-stay-on-the-board-after-ukraine-summit European leaders on Saturday expressed support for a three-way summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia's Vladimir Putin and US leader Donald Trump, after a US-Russia summit failed to produce a ceasefire. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250816/european-leaders-back-putin-trump-zelensky-meeting Sat, 16 Aug 2025 16:25:16 +0200 european-leaders-back-putin-trump-zelensky-meeting European leaders urged more "pressure" on Russia overnight Saturday, after the announcement of a Trump-Putin summit to end the war in Ukraine raised concern that an agreement would require Kyiv to cede swathes of territory. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250810/european-leaders-urge-more-pressure-on-russia-ahead-of-trump-putin-summit Sun, 10 Aug 2025 13:07:15 +0200 european-leaders-urge-more-pressure-on-russia-ahead-of-trump-putin-summit President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer co-chair talks with European leaders on boosting Ukraine’s defences during his state visit to the UK next week, the Elysée Palace has said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250704/macron-to-co-chair-ukraine-talks-with-europe-leaders-while-in-uk-elysee Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:03:56 +0200 macron-to-co-chair-ukraine-talks-with-europe-leaders-while-in-uk-elysee In a sign of the growing security nerves in Europe, France has embarked on a $1.7 billion renovation of an air base in remote hills in the east of the country so it can handle nuclear-armed bombers. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250529/france-gives-air-base-1-7-billion-nuclear-facelift Thu, 29 May 2025 11:55:55 +0200 france-gives-air-base-1-7-billion-nuclear-facelift