Russia-France Ties Hit 'All Time Low' After Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's Arrest, Says Foreign Minister

Pavel Durov was arrested near Paris over the weekend as part of an ongoing judicial investigation into alleged crimes committed via the messaging app ranging from drug trafficking to child sex abuse.

During a press conference on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Minister has condemned the arrest and the extended detention of the Russian-origin tech entrepreneur. Lavrov further added that Russia and France's ties have reached "their lowest level".

Following the Telegram CEO's arrest, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia is ready to provide Durov with all the help he needs.

As per French media, Durov has been arrested as part of a judicial investigation investigating offences such as fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organised crime, and the promotion of terrorism on Telegram. If convicted, Durov faces up to 20 years in prison.

Relations between Russia and France have already been strained especially during the Paris Olympics 2024. France had accused Russia of trying to "destablise" the country ahead of the Olympics in response to the French response to the Ukraine war. Russia, however, has denied these claims.

The Telegram CEO's arrest has also sparked a debate of free speech in France and other European Union countries. French President Emmanuel Macron also broke his silence and stated that the decision to arrest Durov was "not political" and vowed to uphold free speech.