France's Total in shale deal with Russia's Lukoil

PARIS (AP) — French energy company Total SA is hooking up with Russia’s largest private oil company to explore and develop a huge Siberian shale oil field, despite Western sanctions and anger over the Kremlin’s role in Ukraine’s crisis.

The deal signed Friday with Russia’s Lukoil draws new attention to French economic ties with Russia, and the French government’s reluctance to punish Moscow too heavily.