In France, the far-right leader wants Ukraine to pay for Europe's aid - Bloomberg

The president of France’s far-right party "National Rally," Jordan Bardella, called for replacing unconditional support for Ukraine with relations under which France would receive something in return. If his political force comes to power, financial and military aid to Kyiv could be provided under new conditions. Bloomberg reports this, writes UNN.

Details

According to him, the difficult state of French public finances requires Paris to receive some return for military aid to Kyiv. The 30-year-old politician is considered one of the most likely candidates for the post of prime minister of France if Marine Le Pen wins next year’s presidential election. At the Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio, Italy, Bardella said that France has serious problems with public debt and the budget deficit.

We are drowning in debt. We are drowning in deficits. And it is irresponsible to take on spending commitments and promises of financial support for a country without any guarantees

Bardella stressed that the current approach needs to be completely reconsidered. He spoke positively about the policy of the United States, which demands certain commitments from Ukraine in exchange for support. As an example, the politician mentioned agreements granting the United States access to Ukrainian natural resources, including rare-earth materials, as part of guarantees related to loans and other aid.

At the same time, Bardella assured that France would not abandon Ukraine if Marine Le Pen wins; she is the "National Rally" candidate for president after Emmanuel Macron. However, he proposed changing the mechanism for providing support. In particular, Ukraine could guarantee that financial aid received from European states would be used to purchase military equipment exclusively from defense-industry companies in those countries.

As the publication notes, French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to coordinate Europe’s response to Russia’s war against Ukraine and strengthen France’s position as one of Kyiv’s main allies and a leader of the Western bloc. Bardella’s position differs substantially. His views on international politics and the economy are much closer to Trump’s approach.

Bardella also criticized the European Union’s regulatory policy. He took a position close to that of the American president and major U.S. technology corporations, whose influence the EU has sought to limit with new rules in recent years. In the politician’s view, France could use its significant nuclear-power capacity to attract data centers needed for the development of artificial intelligence.

We remind you

National Rally Vice President Louis Aliot promised to halt aid to Kyiv if Le Pen wins the election. The leader of the National Rally’s parliamentary group has already announced her participation in the presidential race.