PARIS – Environmental activists from Greenpeace staged a daring stunt in Paris by stealing a wax figure of French President Emmanuel Macron from the famed Grévin Museum, in protest against France’s continued trade with Russia despite its public support for Ukraine.
According to French news agency AFP, Greenpeace members disguised themselves as museum employees and tourists before making off with the €40,000 waxwork.
After blending in with other visitors, the group reportedly changed into uniforms, covered the statue with a blanket, and exited through an emergency door. No arrests have been made and the wax figure has yet to be recovered by authorities.
Shortly after the theft, the statue reappeared outside the Russian Embassy in Paris, where it was placed by Greenpeace activists alongside banners and placards criticizing Macron’s position on ongoing commercial relations with Russia. The protest was aimed at highlighting what Greenpeace described as a “double discourse” by the French government.
“France is playing a double game,” said Jean-François Julliard, head of Greenpeace France. “Macron embodies this double discourse. On one hand, he is a vocal supporter of Ukraine, yet on the other, his government continues to allow French companies to import Russian gas and fertilisers. He should be the first to end these trade ties.”
Despite France’s vocal support for Ukraine and military aid provided to Kyiv, Greenpeace says the government’s failure to sever all commercial links with Moscow undermines its credibility. Julliard added that the protest was meant to “highlight the contradictions” in France’s Ukraine policy.
Macron has been a prominent advocate for Ukraine within the European Union and NATO, pushing for additional sanctions against Moscow and stronger support for Kyiv since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. However, recent reports and data suggest that French imports from Russia, particularly of liquefied natural gas (LNG), remain significant.
Analysis from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that Russia has earned more than €883 billion from fossil fuel exports since 2022, including €228 billion from countries that have imposed sanctions. France alone accounted for €17.9 billion of that figure.
The EU remains one of the largest destinations for Russian LNG, and Greenpeace claims that by continuing to buy these resources, France is helping to finance the very conflict it condemns. Russian gas exports to Europe rose by up to 20% in 2024, according to Russian estimates, with LNG shipments reaching record levels.
While Macron has insisted on tightening sanctions and warned of further measures should Moscow fail to engage in meaningful ceasefire negotiations, Greenpeace argues that current policies fall short of real economic pressure.
The Grévin Museum has not yet commented on the theft. The stolen wax figure was a recent addition to the museum’s collection and was valued at approximately €40,000.
The Paris police are continuing their investigation. The incident adds a theatrical twist to growing tensions over Europe’s reliance on Russian energy, and it underscores increasing pressure on Western leaders to align their economic actions with their political statements.
