Durov declined Macron's offer to move Telegram headquarters to Paris WSJ reveals hidden meeting

In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron extended an offer to Telegram founder Pavel Durov to relocate the company's headquarters to Paris.

The meeting between Macron and Durov, which had previously been undisclosed, occurred during a lunch, Caliber.Az reports via the Wall Street Journal.

Despite Macron's proposal, Durov declined to move Telegram's headquarters to France but discussed the possibility of acquiring French citizenship.

The current headquarters of Telegram is located in the UAE, where authorities restrict voice calls on the app due to security concerns surrounding encrypted communications. Journalists have noted that in 2017, France and the UAE collaborated on an operation to hack Durov's iPhone, prompted by the use of his app by extremists.

Pavel Durov was arrested on August 24, facing allegations of insufficient moderation on his social app, which allegedly turned a blind eye to illegal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and the distribution of child abuse material (CSAM) to flourish. Despite these concerns about inappropriate content on the platform, Telegram is currently experiencing significant growth in downloads.