France's President Emmanuel Macron warned on Thursday that a controversial Russian journalist employed by a right-wing tycoon was churning out Kremlin propaganda, as he weighed in on a debate about freedom of speech and foreign influence.
Authorities and disinformation experts have raised the alarm about Xenia Fedorova, a former journalist for Russia's state-run channel RT, as France heads for a presidential election next year.
Fedorova is the former head of the French arm of RT, which was shut down in 2023, the year after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
Fedorova went on to become a commentator for French billionaire Vincent Bolloré's media outlets, including the rolling news channel CNews, where she has echoed Kremlin talking points on Ukraine and the West.
French newspaper Le Monde last week threw the spotlight on Fedorova's ties to Bolloré, describing the 45-year-old as a "protege" of the 74-year-old tycoon.
