Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday invoked Napoleon in accusing France and other western countries of attempting to “change the government” in Moscow.

“France did not begin with Macron, but the remains of Napoleon, revered at the state level, rest in the center of Paris. So that France understands everything, and so does Russia,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday. 

The comments came in response to an interview French President Emmanuel Macron gave newspaper Le Journal Le Dimanche, in which he said: “I want the defeat of Russia in Ukraine and I want that Ukraine can defend its position, but I am convinced that at the end this won’t end militarily. I don’t think, like some, that Russia should be defeated completely, attacked on its on soil. These commentators want above all to erase Russia. That has never been France’s position and it will never be.”

Moscow also accused France and the “West” of trying “to change the government” in Moscow, alluding to Macron’s comments that several attempts of regime change have happened in Russia but “all ended in failure”. 

Macron vowed to increase support to Ukraine to guarantee Russia’s defeat during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

“This is clear – we can’t let it [Russia] win if we want a stable international order and lasting peace,” Macron said.

“We must absolutely strengthen our support and our effort to help the Ukrainian people and army’s resistance and allow them to carry out the counter-offensive that alone will allow credible negotiations on the terms chosen by Ukraine,” he said, adding that the coming weeks and months are decisive.

CNN’s Xiaofei Xu and Marguerite Lacroix contributed to this post.