Macron Pressured Trudeau to Relieve Airbus From Sanctions on Russian Titanium - Reports
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron intervened on behalf of Airbus to persuade Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to issue a sanction waiver on Russian titanium used by the aircraft manufacturer, Reuters reported on Thursday.
In late April, media reported that Airbus had been granted a waiver by Canada permitting it to utilize Russian titanium in its manufacturing after the country banned the metal in one of its sanctions packages related to the conflict in Ukraine.
In a phone-call held in late March, the French president reportedly made significant efforts to persuade Trudeau in granting a sanctions exemption on several European aerospace firms, the report said, citing a source close to Macron’s entourage. The message was reportedly passed at "all levels."
Macron contacted Trudeau ahead of French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s visit to Canada and the latter also addressed the issue with Trudeau.
The request was made after Canada imposed the sanctions, which prompted great concerns at Airbus and other firms still relying on Russian titanium supplies for their plants in Canada and elsewhere.
Canada stood firm in the initial phases of dialogue, but it soon changed its stance and allowed the sanctions waiver for Airbus and other firms. The outcome would likely not have been possible were it not for Macron or Attal intervening in the matter, according to the report.
