Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “could become an ally of France again” if the war in Ukraine ends.
The Rassemblement national candidate said that Mr Putin could be an ally “against Islamic fundamentalism if this were to become extremely brutal”.
She was speaking on the political TV show Elysée 2022 on France 2, on Thursday, March 31, and was asked directly: “If the war stops in Ukraine, could Putin become an ally of France?”.
She said: “Yes, of course. It depends on the situation. I have always said that a great power can be an ally in a number of situations, and also an adversary or competitor [in others].”
“Russia’s not going anywhere,” she added.
It comes just two weeks before France’s presidential election. Ms Le Pen has often spoken of her stance against the Islamic veil, and her party reportedly received a €9million loan from a Russian bank in 2014.
Yet, all the French presidential candidates have strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.
Related articles
When will we know the results of France's presidential election?
Signatures, power transfer: key dates for French presidential election
‘When I am president’: The key policies of final 12 French candidates
Income Tax in France 2022 (for 2021 income)*
Healthcare in France*
