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Deep Dive | France
Russia, Emmanuel Macron's sin of pride

By Pierre Gastineau and Antoine Izambard

Published on 07.04.2025 at 04:00 GMT Reading time 11 min

Macron the spymaster, part 6/7 – France's youngest ever president, Emmanuel Macron, is also the one who has taken the greatest interest in intelligence. In the sixth part of this series, Intelligence Online looks back at the president's lost bet with Moscow.

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Macron the spymaster (7/7 published parts)

France's youngest ever president, Emmanuel Macron, is also the one who has shown the greatest appetite for intelligence.

Part 1Emmanuel Macron, the president who loved spies

Part 2Emmanuel Macron's intelligence initiation at the finance ministry

Part 3The Elysée turns focus to China

Part 4Emmanuel Macron's four musketeers of intelligence

Part 5Paul Soler, Emmanuel Macron's man for secret missions

Part 6Russia, Emmanuel Macron's sin of pride

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Deep Dive | France Russia, Emmanuel Macron's sin of pride

Macron the spymaster, part 6/7 – France's youngest ever president, Emmanuel Macron, is also the one who has taken the greatest interest in intelligence. In the sixth part of this series, Intelligence Online looks back at the president's lost bet with Moscow.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

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More from this Deep Dive

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France, Russia French MEPs renew call for sanctions on pro-Putin, Bolloré media darling Xenia Fedorova

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Deep Dive | France
Russia, Emmanuel Macron's sin of pride

France, Russia
French MEPs renew call for sanctions on pro-Putin, Bolloré media darling Xenia Fedorova

France, Russia
DGSE's key role in securing Moscow's release of French researcher Laurent Vinatier

France, Russia
From Stresa to Vienna, a Russian military intelligence spy's France mission revealed

France
Finance ministry's Tracfin strengthens its 'R' intelligence division

Spy Way of Life | France
The 1919 Paris speakeasy, a secret refuge for the president's men

France, Russia
Russia's internal security attaché in France, a discreet point of contact for Paris

France
New French government: interior minister Laurent Nuñez picks loyal aide as chief of staff

Deep Dive | France, Russia
In Biarritz, a dissident under siege as Russia steps up operations in France

The Agencies' Gazette
Russian spies in Paris, PNIJ investigated, American bullying in Riga, pigeon-free Chinese parade

France
French customs officer with affinity for Russia barred from working for Chinese firm

Spotlight | China, France
The French secret agent that Beijing wanted to recruit

The Agencies' Gazette
French magistrate in Beijing, Laotian spy students in Hanoi, DHS seeks counterterrorism chief, Armenian SNB's new head, Bastille day in Moscow

Iran, Russia
Ares Leaks: the cybercrime group behind Russian and Iranian services' data leaks

France, Russia
Savoy separatists provide new inroads for Russian propaganda in France

Spymaster | United Kingdom
Britain's top spy Richard Moore, the cool-headed Europhile at the head of MI6

France
Franco-Russian networks: Three French officers barred from attending a conference by the army

The Agencies' Gazette
DGSE hits French TV, Beijing influencing Putin on Pyongyang, US's Arctic diplomacy, Tracfin departure

Spotlight | Italy
Rome briefly turns into European intelligence hub

Spotlight | Ukraine
Ukrainian intelligence's daring plan to topple Africa's pro-Russian regimes

Spymaster | France
Thierry Matta, enduring chamberlain of France's DGSI

France, Russia
Paris diplomat sent to de-escalate cyber scuffle with Moscow