On April 16, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs announced the recall of Ambassador Anne Boillon from Azerbaijan for consultations. 

"In recent months, due to the continuation of unilateral actions by Azerbaijan that harm the relations between our countries, France has decided to recall its ambassador to Azerbaijan for consultations," the Ministry stated.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ambassador Boillon and expressed his regret regarding Azerbaijan's actions, urging the Azerbaijani side to clarify its intentions. Official statements from Paris also reiterated support for the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, emphasizing the importance of adhering to international law and respecting the territorial integrity of both countries. It was noted that such normalization efforts would mutually benefit both nations and the wider region.

Commenting on France's decision to recall its ambassador from Azerbaijan on April 17, Aykhan Hajizade, the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, highlighted France's shift in behavior towards Azerbaijan following the Second Karabakh War. 

He pointed out that despite France's mediation role over nearly 25 years, the country has taken obvious anti-Azerbaijani steps, which are widely recognized. In response to France's actions and official statements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan spokesperson emphasized that Baku's measures were merely reactions to what they deemed as 'destructive activity' from Paris. He reiterated Azerbaijan's commitment to maintaining open dialogue despite what he referred to as a slander campaign against the country.

The ministry official criticized France for accusing Azerbaijan of unilateral actions, particularly in light of Azerbaijan's forthcoming chairmanship and hosting of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). He deemed it unreasonable for France to level such accusations against Azerbaijan, given its upcoming responsibilities in the international arena.