The French oil company TotalEnergies could be involved in supplying kerosene to Russian military aircraft through a joint venture with the Russian company Novatek. This has been communicated by the French Minister of Transport, Clement Beaune. A situation that he has classified as “extremely serious” and that requires prompt clarification by the French company.
Beaune, who said he did not have enough information to take sides in the matter, was the first French government official to bring to light such information, which could undermine President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to push for peace in Ukraine.
“This is an extremely serious issue, so you have to verify whether, voluntarily or involuntarily, sanctions have been evaded or the energy that a company, French or not, has produced,” Beaune told television. France 2.
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The newspaper Le Monde reported on Wednesday that TotalEnergies was involved in supplying gas condensate to make fuel for Russian jets in Ukraine through the French firm’s involvement with Russian company Novatek.
According to Le Mondethe jet fuel delivered to two Russian air bases, which were likely involved in the airstrikes in Ukraine, was produced from gas condensate supplied by Terneftegaz, of which TotalEnergies owns 49%.
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The French newspaper’s investigation prompted a quick response from the oil company, which denied the accusations. “No, TotalEnergies does not produce kerosene for the Russian military,” the company said in a statement.
Total Energies, which unlike its main western rivals it has kept its assets in Russia despite criticism, he said he did not operate infrastructure that would have supplied the Russian military and was not aware of any potential jet fuel production by his trading partners.
Manon Aubry, a member of the European Parliament for ‘France without complexes’, one of France’s main opposition parties, urged the government on Thursday to take a stand on the matter, saying “France cannot close its eyes any longer”. “We have a French company that has become an indirect accomplice in a murderous war“, he told Franceinfo radio.
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