Marine Le Pen, the presidential candidate for France's National Rally party, made a surprising statement on CNews regarding her readiness to personally visit Ukraine. According to her, she is ready to come to Kyiv 'at any time convenient for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy' to discuss further French aid to Ukraine. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a post by Le Pen on the social network X.
'We No Longer Have the Financial Means'
During the interview, Le Pen cited the constraints of the French budget as a key argument for ending bilateral aid to Kyiv. 'We could well discuss this topic at any time convenient for him. If Mr. Zelenskyy wants us to talk, I will gladly come to Ukraine. But I want to tell him that we no longer have the financial means to provide aid,' the politician stated. Thus, Le Pen effectively linked her readiness for dialogue with a decision already made, in her view, to cut support.
Position on Timeline and Aid Format
Previously, the leader of the French far-right repeatedly stated that if she is elected president of France, bilateral aid to Ukraine will be terminated. She claims that France 'cannot afford' to continue funding Kyiv. The specific timeframe Le Pen mentioned in her campaign speeches is six months after taking office. She also stated that she will not support Ukraine's accession to the European Union, making her position on the Ukrainian issue one of the toughest among French presidential candidates.
Context: Scandalous Rhetoric and Relations with Moscow
Le Pen's stance on Russia's war against Ukraine has long drawn criticism both in France and internationally. The politician publicly supported the Russian occupation of Crimea, a fact repeatedly highlighted by Ukrainian and European politicians. In this context, her statement about being ready to come to Kyiv looks like an attempt to soften her image before the European audience and demonstrate readiness for direct contact with the Ukrainian leadership, without abandoning her course to end financial support.
Reaction and Prospects
At the time of publication, official Kyiv has not confirmed receipt of or the intention to accept Le Pen's invitation. Nevertheless, the French candidate's statement itself caused a major resonance in the media space: observers note that even a symbolic high-level meeting against the backdrop of statements about ending aid could be perceived as a signal of a tone shift in Franco-Ukrainian relations. For Le Pen, whose rating in election polls remains a key factor in the campaign, the gesture is aimed simultaneously at both the Ukrainian and domestic French audiences.
