François Fillon proposed to join the board of directors of a Russian oil group

The former prime minister and candidate for the 2017 presidential election would be, according to a decree signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Michoustine and spotted by

proposed to join Zaroubejneft's board of directors.

This company, 100% owned by the Russian state, is an oil player that specializes in the search for hydrocarbon deposits in Algeria, Libya, Syria and Cuba.

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The appointment of François Fillon to the board of directors of Zaroubejneft is now almost completed, unless the person concerned does an about-face.

François Fillon has, since 2017, moved away from political life to create his consulting firm, Apteras.

It is moreover for this reason alone that it is named in the decree signed by Mikhaïl Michoustine.

Defender of rapprochement with Russia

The former French prime minister has long been a defender of Franco-Russian rapprochement.

He has thus distinguished himself in the past by his position in favor of lifting the economic sanctions decided against Russia after the annexation of Crimea.

François Fillon was also in favor of Russian intervention in Syria to fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.

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Having emerged as a loser in the first round of the 2017 presidential election, François Fillon has maintained links with the Russian business community. He thus participated, on March 2, in a meeting organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) France Russia as a guest of honor. The former prime minister also spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in early June. On this occasion, he once again crushed European sanctions against Russia by qualifying them, as reported by

, as "

".