French far-right politician and representative of the National Rally party Marine Le Pen said that Europe, and France in particular, can no longer increase its financial support for Ukraine. UNN reports this, citing Financial Times and French media.
Details
If she wins the 2027 presidential election, she plans to stop direct financial aid to Kyiv six months after taking office. The politician also opposes Ukraine's membership in the European Union and any further increase in European countries' financial commitments.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on October 14, Marine Le Pen said that European states had already undertaken significant financial commitments to support Ukraine and that the possibilities for further increasing aid were limited. According to the French politician, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs to be openly told about the financial constraints faced by European partners.
To deal honestly with Mr. Zelenskyy is to tell him, in fact to warn him: listen, we cannot do more. We have already provided loans totaling €90 billion, of which €18 billion falls to France. That is a truly large sum
She emphasized that France could no longer afford to support Ukraine at previous levels because of the difficult situation with its public finances. In addition, Le Pen questioned the rationale for further financing Kyiv through the European Union if this would result in an additional financial burden on the French budget.
The politician also called for a significant reduction in the EU budget and a limitation of the powers of European institutions.
Le Pen promised to stop funding Ukraine six months after winning the election
On October 14, while in Brussels, Marine Le Pen clarified her position in an interview with the Belgian television channel VRT News. She said that if elected president of France, she would not stop financial support for Ukraine immediately after taking power. Instead, she envisages a six-month transition period.
From the moment of my election, for six months we will maintain aid so as not to leave anyone in an impossible situation. But after that, we will stop financial aid to Ukraine, because we no longer have the ability to provide it
At the same time, she did not rule out maintaining certain forms of military cooperation, including operational support and the training of Ukrainian service members.
Le Pen opposed Ukraine joining the EU
The politician separately criticized the prospect of Ukraine's membership in the European Union. According to her, Ukraine's accession to the EU could lead to significant economic losses for France, particularly in the agricultural sector. Le Pen claims that Ukrainian agricultural products would create additional competition for French farmers and that the distribution of European subsidies would change to France's disadvantage.
In her conversation with the Financial Times, she called Ukraine's possible accession to the European Union a "harakiri" for France, linking it to threats to national sovereignty and significant economic losses.
What Volodymyr Zelenskyy replied to Le Pen
On October 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the French politician's statements in an interview with the Financial Times. The head of state emphasized that Ukraine's cooperation with France and other Western partners is not limited to financial support. According to him, European states are gaining valuable experience from the Ukrainian military that can be used to develop their own defense technologies and improve the combat readiness of their armies.
In particular, the president mentioned the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense systems, which were improved based on experience from combat use, as well as SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine's experience of modern warfare has practical value for European defense companies.
We also give something in return
In his view, French industry could benefit from the joint production of weapons, technological cooperation, and the use of Ukrainian military expertise.
The president also expressed the conviction that Le Pen does not fully take into account certain aspects of defense cooperation between the countries.
What is known about financial support for Ukraine from the EU
Despite Le Pen's statements, the European Union continues to provide Ukraine with military, economic, and budgetary assistance. In particular, the EU approved a €90 billion loan program for 2026–2027. It provides funding for Ukraine's defense needs and support for the state budget. However, funds under this program are disbursed gradually, and their allocation depends on the agreed conditions and Ukraine's implementation of the necessary reforms.
In addition, European institutions are considering mechanisms for further financing Ukraine in view of the country's significant needs amid the continuation of the full-scale war with Russia.
Context
Marine Le Pen is one of the leading representatives of France's far-right forces and has consistently advocated reducing France's financial contributions to the European Union budget. She has repeatedly criticized European sanctions against Russia while stating that she condemns Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 presidential election, Le Pen has stepped up statements regarding the need to review France's foreign policy and budgetary priorities.
Reminder
Earlier, we wrote that there were discussions in the EU regarding a new request for aid to Ukraine.