The new French ambassador to Russia, Pierre Levy, admitted that he had dreamed of working in Russia for 40 years.
Earlier Levy presented his credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I highly appreciate my chance to work in Russia. For 40 years it was my dream. I returned to a country that I love very much. I started learning her language during my high school years. Many great figures of Russian culture have accompanied me on my journey since I was young. I am especially dear to Anna Akhmatova, whose poems live in my heart,” the Ambassador said in an address published on the French Embassy’s Facebook page.
According to him, Russia and France are at the beginning of the most important moment in their relations.
“President of the French Republic Emmanuelle Macron expressed his desire to resume an ambitious dialogue between France and Russia to gradually build a system of trust. Apart from bilateral relations, which are very dear to us, our task is to strengthen peace and security in Europe and the world. France and Russia, permanent members of the UN Security Council, have a huge responsibility”, – Levy said.
As the diplomat stressed, Russia and France are united by geography, which makes the dialogue between the two countries necessary.
Pierre Levi was appointed Ambassador of France to Russia in January 2020. Prior to that, he served as Ambassador of the French Republic in Poland (2016-2019), earlier as Director of the European Union Department at the French Foreign Ministry (2013-2016) and Ambassador to the Czech Republic (2009-2013). Levy has also worked for the French embassies in Germany and Singapore.