Russia to close visa centers in France

Russia’s visa centers in several French cities will stop working from today, according to the Russian embassy in France.

Visa centers will be closed in Paris, Marseille, Nice, and Strasbourg. The decision comes amid continued tensions between France and Russia. Nicolas de Rivière, France’s permanent representative to the United Nations, reiterated the nation’s condemnation of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and pledged that the country would continue to combat food insecurity.

In a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed new concerns about potential military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a spaceport in September, while the Biden Administration reported that North Korea delivered over 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia in October.

During Macron’s state visit to China in April, Xi reportedly said he was ready to collaborate with France to facilitate conditions for discussions between Moscow and Kyiv. Currently, however, as most analysts see the war in Ukraine at a stalemate, productive talks will likely be unfeasible and tensions between France and Russia are likely to continue, especially as France seeks increased engagement with former USSR states like Armenia.