French President Emmanuel Macron personally intervened to persuade Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to provide relief from sanctions on Russian titanium for Airbus and other aerospace companies, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The sensitive request was made during a phone call between the two leaders in March, just weeks after Canada broke ranks with its allies and imposed sanctions on the strategic metal, alarming France-based Airbus and other firms that still rely on Russian supplies in their plants located in Canada or elsewhere.
A source close to the French leader said Macron made a “significant effort” to convince Trudeau to grant an exemption for European companies. “Many messages were passed at all levels,” the source added, referring to broad diplomatic and industrial pressure.
A Canadian source familiar with the matter said Macron raised the topic in a call with Trudeau on March 29, shortly before a visit by French premier Gabriel Attal, who also addressed the issue during his time in Canada. At least one other European government also weighed in to support the lobbying effort, a separate source said.
Initially, Ottawa stood firm on its sanctions policy. However, within days, the Canadian government modified its stance and granted waivers to Airbus and others. This climbdown, first reported by Reuters, triggered a political dispute over sanctions policy and drew criticism from Ukraine’s ambassador.
“It was not easy to get the sanctions lifted. I think if the French government had not raised it continuously at that level, we would have held pretty firm,” the Canadian source said.
Both the offices of Macron and Trudeau declined to comment, while Airbus said it was “complying with all applicable sanctions related to Russia.” The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The episode highlights the diplomatic tensions and competing economic interests at play as Western countries navigate the complex web of sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.