French conservative favourite Francois Fillon says Russia poses no security threat

Former prime minister Francois Fillon, favourite to become the French centre-right’s candidate for president in an election next year, said that Russia did not constitute a security threat and it was “completely stupid” to push it away.

French officials have been pressing for an extension of European Union sanctions against Moscow over its actions in Ukraine and suggested that further sanctions over its role in Syria may be necessary given the Russian-backed Syrian government attacks on rebel-held areas of Aleppo.

“You spoke about an enthusiasm to get closer to Russia. There’s no enthusiasm,” Fillon told TF1 television on Monday.

“I just see that it (Russia) is the biggest country in the world and we’re pushing it towards Asia in a completely stupid way. In no way does it threaten our security.”

After the US election of Donald Trump, who has said he wants closer ties with the Kremlin and has questioned the cost of protecting Nato allies, some analysts predict an emboldened Moscow could become more assertive in eastern Europe after already annexing Crimea in 2014.