Leaders of the French party National Rally, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, have suddenly changed their rhetoric towards Russia, stating that Moscow cannot dictate France's policy. They emphasized that no threats, provocations, or covert operations from Russia will force France to support achieving Russian military goals in Ukraine.
This statement is notable against the backdrop of the party's previous stance, which has been repeatedly criticized for its closeness to Moscow. In particular, in 2017, Le Pen met with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, and her party previously received a loan from a Russian bank. Furthermore, just a few days ago, Le Pen advocated for stopping financial aid to Ukraine, while the party's vice president, Louis Aliot, suggested "turning off the tap" of assistance to Kyiv.
Now, Le Pen and Bardella emphasize that while the volumes of aid to Ukraine can be debated, external pressure from Russia on French policy is unacceptable.