Le Pen vows to end French military aid to Ukraine if elected
Marine Le Pen has said she would end France’s bilateral aid to Ukraine within six months if elected president, arguing that France can no longer afford the spending. The pledge reflects her campaign’s emphasis on French interests and criticism of the EU’s sanctions on Russia, which she says have created an “energy war”.
Le Pen is forecast to lead the first round of the presidential election in April with more than 30 per cent, according to the article. The EU plans to lend Ukraine €45 billion in 2027 from a €90 billion budget, while estimates suggest Kyiv may need about €70 billion more; Le Pen has also proposed capping France’s net EU contribution at €5 billion, down from around €8 billion. Her comments came as Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian energy facilities after a proposed ceasefire ended.
- Le Pen pledges to end France’s aid to Ukraine within six months if elected.
- She says France can no longer afford the support.
- She proposes cutting France’s net EU contribution to €5 billion.
New here? Start with this
France is a member of the European Union and NATO, and has supplied Ukraine with military and other support since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. France’s president has a central role in setting the country’s foreign and defence policy.
Marine Le Pen leads the National Rally, a party that argues French policy should put national interests first. She has criticised EU sanctions on Russia and the costs of support for Ukraine; the EU also provides financial assistance to Kyiv, alongside aid from individual countries.
The issue matters because France is a major European power, and a change in its policy could affect European support for Ukraine and relations with the EU. French voters choose their president in a two-round election, with the first round narrowing the field to the leading candidates.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ending bilateral aid could be defended as a way to prioritise French public finances and domestic needs, especially if voters believe the costs are becoming unsustainable. Le Pen’s supporters may also argue that France should retain greater control over its spending and foreign policy, and that sanctions have imposed serious energy costs on Europeans.
The case against
Continuing aid could be defended as supporting Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia’s invasion and as serving France’s broader security interests by discouraging further aggression. Critics of ending it may argue that withdrawing French support would weaken Ukraine, shift more of the burden to other countries, and reduce Europe’s influence over the conflict’s outcome.
Elections Europe Government Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Marine Le Pen says she would stop aid to Ukraine within six months of being elected and criticises Europe’s ‘energy war’ with Putin as polls put her ahead in French presidential race”.