French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace before a working diner with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 in Paris. Western support has been key to Kyiv's surprisingly stiff defense, and the two sides are engaged in grinding battles. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)French President Emmanuel Macron, right, walks next to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before heading to Brussels, in Military Airport Villacoublay, in Velizy-Villacoublay, Southwest of Paris, France, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. French President Macron and Ukrainian president Zelenskyy and traveling together to Brussels to take a part in a summit of European Union leaders. (Mohammed Badra / Pool Photo via AP)FILE - French President Jacques Chirac, right, hands over a rosette of the Legion of Honor to his visiting Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday Sept. 22, 2006. Ukraines wartime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now been bestowed with Frances highest medal of honor. But theres a problem: Russian President Vladimir Putin has the same medal. French President Emmanuel Macron pinned the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor medal on Zelenskyys chest after the two met in the French presidential palace Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023 (ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service, Vladimir Rodinov via AP, File)
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French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace before a working diner with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 in Paris. Western support has been key to Kyiv's surprisingly stiff defense, and the two sides are engaged in grinding battles. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
BRUSSELS – Ukraine’s wartime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now been bestowed with France’s highest medal of honor. But there’s a problem: Russian President Vladimir Putin has the same medal.
French President Emmanuel Macron pinned the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor medal on Zelenskyy’s chest after the two met in the French presidential palace Thursday, a move Macron said was meant to show France’s “immense" recognition for Ukraine's valor since Russia invaded it a year ago.
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Some French legislators and activists have called on Macron to rescind Putin’s award because of the war.
Macron didn’t rule out stripping Putin of the honor bestowed by then-President Jacques Chirac in 2006.
Macron told reporters Friday that such a decision “has serious meaning, and it should be taken at the right moment.’’ He noted that he has rescinded the honor in the past.
Macron stripped Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of his Legion of Honor award in the wake of widespread sexual misconduct allegations against him in 2017. Disgraced cyclist and former Tour de France star Lance Armstrong also had his French Legion of Honor award revoked.
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