“Relations between Europe and Russia would be better if Brussels was really independent from the U.S.”  said former French President (1974-1981) Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. He also justified Russia’s annexation of Crimea because “it has always been Russian” and he added that the overthrown of former Ukrainian President Yanukovich was provoked by the CIA. The former French president particularly stressed the lack of independence of French and European leaders from the U.S. (atlantico.fr)