By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian officials and lawmakers on Thursday poured scorn on French President Emmanuel Macron for saying that Russia threatened Europe, and cautioned that such talk could lead the West towards the abyss of a new world war.

France's "maniacal" President Emmanuel Macron is bringing Europe to the brink of "abyss", pro-Putin hardliners have claimed. In an address to his nation on Wednesday, the French premier warned that Russia was "a threat for France and Europe",

French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Russia has become a “threat to France and Europe” in a televised address on Wednesday. The French president said Russian aggression “knows no borders” and urged European leaders to prepare for a future where the United States may not offer the same level of support.