French politician Jordan Bardella, president of Marine Le Pen's National Rally party, said he favors giving Ukraine the ammunition it needs for self-defense, but not equipment that could provoke a wider war, making him relatively close to President Emmanuel Macron's position on France's role in the war, Bloomberg reports, UNN writes.
But unlike Macron, he said he was against sending French troops to the country.
Details
Bardella, who could become prime minister if Le Pen's party wins a landslide victory in France's snap election, was speaking on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Eurosatory defense fair in Villepinte, on the outskirts of Paris.
"I want Ukraine to have the necessary ammunition and equipment," Bardella said. - "But my 'red line' will not change: no equipment that could have consequences... My 'red line' is co-belligerence.
Le Pen's ties to Russia have raised questions about her stance on arming Ukraine, and Bardella's comments could ease fears in some European Union capitals that a new push for Ukraine will fade into the background if the National Rally forms a government after the July 7 elections, the newspaper said.
Macron was one of the main supporters of Ukraine, and his plan included sending army instructors to Ukraine.
"I am against sending French troops to Ukraine," he said, rejecting the idea put forward by Macron.
On Wednesday, Bardella strolled through the fair, drawing huge crowds as he visited the stands of defense companies that produce the Caesar guns, drones and missiles that France has sent to Ukraine.
The party is likely to face questions about its relations with key allies such as Qatar, a major buyer of French arms, and Germany, with which France is seeking to develop a new generation tank and fighter jet. Bardella has previously criticized Qatar for funding "terrorist movements such as Hamas," and his party has criticized the country's ownership of the Parisian soccer club PSG. Without addressing these issues, Bardella said he would fulfill the commitments made by France if he became prime minister.
"I have no intention of questioning the commitments made by France in the international arena; there is a problem of trust in our European partners and our NATO allies," he said, according to AFP. In 2022, Le Pen, while campaigning for the presidential election, promised to "leave the joint command" of NATO.
The French government remains a key customer and shareholder in the country's defense industry, and Bardella said he would support the expansion of the sector.
"I hope that France will be able to continue its rearmament efforts," he said.
Addendum
Macron dissolved the National Assembly in France and called for new parliamentary elections after his party was defeated by Le Pen's group in this month's European Parliament elections. The French president has focused his EU campaign on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, portraying Le Pen as an ally of Vladimir Putin and viewing her party's election victory as crucial for Europe. Two days before the snap election was called, Macron stood next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, promising to send French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets and to create a coalition to support Ukraine.
Le Pen responded by presenting herself as a defender of peace, criticizing Macron's comments about sending troops as a cynical ploy to dramatize what was at stake in the European elections.
Le Pen's financial ties to Russia have come under scrutiny after she took out a loan from a Russian bank, which the National Rally said she has since repaid. Last year, the National Rally abstained from voting on a European Parliament resolution condemning the imprisonment of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison earlier this year.