Spotlight | France, Russia, Ukraine, Vatican
Pope courts Macron to mediate negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv

The Corporate Intelligence Village Voice
Roux de Bézieux tours France, Goût gets 'Back to Russia', Danone in Moscow, Bangkok

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: every Wednesday, we report on events big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community.

ParisRoux de Bézieux promotes economic security

Moscow/Paris/RomeHow to get ‘Back to Russia'

MoscowA new head for Accor in Russia

Paris/BangkokArnaud Leaveau's Alta Strategies bridges gap between Europe and Indo-Pacific

France, Ukraine
Macron resumes plans for Kyiv visit

Our sources in Kyiv and Paris tell us that French President Emmanuel Macron has renewed plans for a visit to the Ukrainian capital in the very near future.

Russia, Vatican
Ultra-nationalists take swipe at Pope's Russian relays

With the tacit approval of their chaperons in the Russian Orthodox Church and intelligence services, nationalist and religious activists have been waging a coordinated campaign against Pope Francis and his Muscovite networks over the past few weeks.

France, Russia, Vatican
Vatican keen to bring Russian and French sherpas to the negotiating table

After putting out feelers in different European capitals, Pope Francis' team is hoping to bring the French and Russian presidential diplomatic advisers at the Vatican together to discuss Ukraine. The invitation was welcomed by Moscow.

Russia, Vatican
Unlikely alliance in Moscow pushes for Pope Francis Nobel Peace Prize nomination

The World Union of Old Believers in Moscow, which maintains mixed relations with the Kremlin and the Orthodox Church, has joined forces with the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Dmitry Muratov to campaign for the pontiff to be nominated for the prestigious prize.

United Kingdom, United States
Harvard law professor Matthew Stephenson retained by British embassy in Washington to monitor legislation impacting lawyers and advisers for oligarchs

The Establishing New Authorities for Businesses Laundering and Enabling Risks to Security (ENABLERS) Act, which would impact prominent players in lobbying, legal and corporate intelligence circles, will be reintroduced this year in Congress. British authorities are very interested in following the developments.

Russia
Russia's religious institutions clash over military draft exemption

Mobilisation continues to divide Russia's ruling class and, behind it, the country's influential religious groups, who are actively taking part in the political debate on the war. Both the Orthodox Church and the Old Believers are trying to weigh in on discussions through their respective networks.

Japan, Vatican
Japan tries charm offensive on Vatican City

The Japanese authorities have asked the Sasakawa Peace Foundation to resume its collaborative work with the Holy See as a way for Japan to play a role in negotiations between Pope Francis and Xi Jinping.

Europe, Russia
Russian Orthodox Church bounces back via Budapest posting

Russian Patriarch Kirill and his Hungary-based right-hand man Hilarion have taken stock of their faux pas at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and are manoeuvring on various fronts to try to emerge from their religious and diplomatic isolation.

Russia, Vatican
Moscow ready to welcome the pope...but only after the war

Pope Francis had to hold off plans to visit Russia as part of his efforts to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church, which also wants to play a role in resolution of the conflict, is trying to adopt a more open position.

Russia
Moscow's shadow advisers, intelligence officers and lobbyists lay low

As the hunt for those responsible for Russia's setbacks in Ukraine continues, lobbyists, private consultants and advisers close to the Kremlin, as well as former and current civil servants, are fearing a wave of purges.