PARIS – Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris has a Christmas tree this year thanks to an unusual patron: the Russian government.

Amid high tensions between ****** and the West over ******** in *******, ******’s ambassador to France says the “tree is a message of peace.”

When the rector of Notre Dame told foreign embassies this month that the cathedral needed money for the huge tree, ****** was the first to offer. Orlov told The Associated Press this week, “we thought this would be a rather nice present.” He wouldn’t say how much it cost.

He insisted it has nothing to do with politics or a troubled deal to sell a French warship to ******, stalled because of *******.

Still, Notre Dame officials promise to seek a Ukrainian-funded tree next year.