A group of MEPs from Renew Europe is calling for individual sanctions against Xenia Fedorova, the former head of RT France, according to AFP. The letter accuses Fedorova, a regular commentator on French channels owned by media mogul Vincent Bolloré, of spreading Russian propaganda on the war in Ukraine and the EU.
Fedorova joined Bolloré's media empire after RT France was shut down in March 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She appears on the show "L'Heure Inter" on CNews, hosts a slot on JDNews, and presents "Lumières orthodoxes." In 2025, she published her book Bannie under Bolloré's Fayard publishing house, accusing French authorities of trying to silence her.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called Fedorova a "fully fledged propagandist" who relays Kremlin disinformation. French MEP Nathalie Loiseau led the letter to European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Fedorova's influence has sparked controversy as Paris works to combat disinformation. France's broadcasting watchdog, Arcom, received two complaints in May over her comments, including falsely accusing Latvia of glorifying Nazism and claiming the West prolongs the conflict in Ukraine.