Former French Prime Minister François Fillon has been named to the board of a Russian oil company, according to Agence France-Presse.
Documents published Saturday by a Russian website run by the Interfax news agency showed Fillon joined the board of Zaroubejneft on June 28.
The former head of government under Nicolas Sarkozy works for the company as a consultant through his firm Apteras. He was nominated for the job by the Russian government in early June.
Fillon went into consulting following a disastrous presidential bid in 2017, which was derailed by a fake-jobs scandal. He was sentenced in June 2020 to five years in prison, three suspended.
He is the latest senior European politician to join a Russian fossil fuel company. Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl was named in June to the board of oil company Rosneft. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has been chairman of the Rosneft board since 2017.
This article is part of POLITICO’s premium policy service: Pro Energy and Climate. From climate change, emissions targets, alternative fuels and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the Energy and Climate policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.