French President Emmanuel Macron has taken personal steps to persuade Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to relax sanctions against Russia, particularly to benefit aerospace companies like Airbus that rely on Russian titanium.
An insider close to the French leader revealed that Macron exerted "significant efforts" to convince Trudeau to grant exemptions to European firms. "A lot of messages were conveyed at all levels," the source added, indicating widespread diplomatic and industrial pressure exerted by France.
The topic was raised during a conversation between Macron and Trudeau on March 29, ahead of a visit to Canada by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who also addressed the issue during his stay.
Russian company VSMPO-AVISMA, which is state-supported, has historically been the largest producer of aerospace-grade titanium. While the West has tightened sanctions against Moscow, it previously avoided blocking access to VSMPO’s specialized alloys, fearing damage to its own aerospace industry.
Canada's unexpected decision to ban imports of VSMPO products coincided with the second anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, catching the aerospace industry off guard. The duration of these exemptions was not disclosed, but an individual familiar with the plan mentioned that the industry was given a three-year period.
Airbus is a European aerospace corporation specializing in the manufacture of aircraft, space technology, and other aerospace products. Founded in 1970, Airbus has become one of the leading commercial aircraft manufacturers in the world. The company is headquartered in Toulouse, France, and operates several factories and production sites across different countries.
