Macron's wax figure was stolen from a museum and used at a rally outside the Russian embassy

On Monday, 2 June, activists took a wax figure of Emmanuel Macron from the famous Greven Museum and installed it in front of the Russian Embassy.

"We 'borrowed' the statue of the French president because we believe: until he breaks energy contracts with Russia and starts promoting a sustainable ecological transition in Europe, he has no place among national heroes," Greenpeace France said in a statement.

Near the figure, activists placed a placard reading "Ukraine is burning - business continues," pointing to the hypocrisy of Paris' official position. The organisation accused Macron of tough rhetoric on Russian aggression, which, however, is not backed up by action on the energy front.

According to the IEEFA analytical institute, France is still among the largest importers of Russian liquefied natural gas in the EU. Despite promises by the European Commission to phase out Russian gas supplies by 2027, energy dependence persists.

According to the AFP news agency, the "kidnapping" of the figure was organised by two women and a man who identified themselves as tourists. However, Greenpeace representatives claim it is only a "temporary borrowing".

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed to POLITICO that an investigation into "theft to the detriment of the museum" has been launched.

As for the wax figure of Putin, it is no longer available - it was removed from the Grévin Museum back in 2022 after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.