French far-right politician Marine Le Pen is distancing herself from Russia. She stated that the country's foreign policy is decided in Paris, not Moscow.
Marine Le Pen, the French right-wing presidential candidate, has criticized the Russian government. "We will never tolerate a foreign power—in this case, Russia—hoping to dictate our country's policies, directly or indirectly, through intimidation, threats, destabilization, or psychological pressure," Le Pen stated in a joint letter with Jordan Bardella, the leader of the Rassemblement National. The statement emphasized that the country's foreign policy is decided in Paris, not Moscow.
It was further stated that debating France’s diplomatic and strategic orientation is legitimate. This includes discussing the scope of support for Ukraine and the conditions attached to it. However, external pressure is illegitimate. "No provocation, covert operation, or destabilization effort can induce France to make it easier for Russia to achieve its war aims in Ukraine," wrote Le Pen and Bardella.
Russia had placed the Russian operations of European companies under compulsory administration.
The letter is a response to recent Russian activities. Russia had recently placed the Russian operations of several European companies—including the French retail chain Auchan—under compulsory administration. Le Pen and Bardella wrote of "hostile acts in Europe" perpetrated by agents acting on Russia's behalf, noting that these incidents have been on the rise in recent weeks.
In the past, critics have frequently accused Le Pen of failing to distance herself sufficiently from Russia. Her receipt of a loan from a Czech-Russian bank in 2014 also drew criticism. Le Pen is seeking to become head of state in France's presidential election this spring; she is currently polling well ahead of other candidates and stands a chance of reaching the runoff.
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