Emmanuel Macron spoke at a press conference alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Paris.

"Georgia is under very strong pressure" and "is crossed by worrying movements", declared the French president, who also wished that the country find "the path of greater serenity" and that "we appeasement of regional tensions".

The head of state did not comment directly on the attacks by Moscow, which presented as an "attempt" of a Western coup the massive demonstrations in Georgia which forced the government to abandon a bill compared by its detractors to repressive Russian legislation.

"I think there is a tendency, which is not new, to consider that any movement of population is a manipulation coming from outside. Because the deep conviction is that deep down, there is no no public opinion or free peoples,” said Emmanuel Macron.

"We have the right as an old democracy to think the opposite," he added.

01:21

The French and British leaders also reaffirmed, during a bilateral summit, their support for Ukraine, for which they wished military victory in the face of the Russian invasion.

"Our desire is to help Ukraine to resist and to carry out the counter-offensives that it wishes to carry out. The priority of the moment is military," said Emmanuel Macron.

"We want Ukraine to win this war and we are completely united," confirmed Rishi Sunak.

With AFP

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