Since her arrival in Moscow on September 7th, Sylvie Bermann, the French ambassador to Russia, has been having numerous meetings with French and Russian leaders in an attempt to improve the Franco-Russian economic relations and “heal old wounds.” The annexation of Crimea and the Russian intervention in Syria have created a tense atmosphere.
Expert in the diplomatic mechanisms of the UN following her time at the permanent mission in New York, Sylvie Bermann knows how to remain cautious. She is already preparing for the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Moscow by the beginning of next year and has met with Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire to prepare for a Franco-Russian meeting in December. She has also met with the chairman of Novatek and the head of Total’s Moscow subsidiary. Her decision to improve Franco-Russian economic relations is greeted with optimism by the French community in Russia, who hope to benefit from her Chinese experience.
Indeed, from 2011 to 2014, she was the French Ambassador to China, where she developed close ties with the Franco-Chinese business communities..
Like China, Russia is seeking to develop its economy and economic diplomacy in partnership with foreign companies, and France could benefit from this new dynamic.
As the second counselor stationed in Moscow between 1986 and 1989, Sylvie Bermann also has previous experience in Russia. During that time, she studied the complexity and activism of the Russians during the Perestroika period.
Sylvie Bermann began studying Russian and Chinese early in her career and is now returning to Moscow with enriching diplomatic experiences and in-depth knowledge of the economic cultures of these countries. She was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin to present her credentials, marking the official beginning of her mandate.