RIA Novosti Correspondent Denied Accreditation to Zelenskyy Press Briefing in Paris

PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) Correspondent of the Russian news agency RIA Novosti was denied accreditation to attend a press briefing following the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

The press service of the Ukrainian Embassy in Paris redirected the RIA Novosti correspondent to the organizers of the press conference from the Ukrainian side. Organizers said their decision was dictated by a limited number of available seats due to sanitary restrictions.

"We had a limited number of people, and the list was closed. That is, there are no more places left," the organizer's representative told RIA Novosti at the Ukrainian diplomatic mission. She also noted that a broadcast of the press briefing was available on the presidential office's Facebook.

On Friday, Macron met in person with Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace in Paris. After the meeting, the two leaders were scheduled to talk with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over a video conference.

This was the third time in two days that a Russian correspondent was denied access to events related to the visit of the Ukrainian leader to France.

RIA Novosti was denied access to events organized by the French Presidency on multiple occasions in the past. In December 2017, its correspondent was not allowed to attend the presentation of diplomatic credentials to Macron by Russian Ambassador Aleksey Meshkov. Another RIA Novosti correspondent was barred from covering Macron's meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in July 2017.