Europe's Far Right and Russia's War in Ukraine
Marine Le Pen's Relationship with Russia
Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's far-right National Rally party, has for years maintained close ties with Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin. In 2014, her party received a 9 million euro loan from a Russian bank close to the Kremlin. Le Pen has also repeatedly praised Putin and his policies, calling him a "strong leader" and a "great statesman."
Le Pen's Position on the War in Ukraine
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Le Pen has been a vocal critic of the European Union and NATO's response to the conflict. She has argued that the war is a "proxy war" between Russia and the West, and that Europe should not get involved. Le Pen has also called for France to withdraw from NATO and to pursue closer ties with Russia.
Le Pen's Presidential Ambitions
Le Pen is a candidate in the upcoming French presidential election, which will be held in April 2022. She is currently polling second behind incumbent president Emmanuel Macron. If elected, Le Pen would be the first woman to become president of France. She has indicated that she would seek closer ties with Russia, and that she would work to improve relations between Russia and the European Union.
Implications for Europe
Le Pen's views on Russia and Ukraine have raised concerns among some European leaders. They fear that a Le Pen presidency would weaken the EU and NATO, and would make it more difficult to respond to future Russian aggression. Le Pen's victory would also send a signal to other far-right parties in Europe that it is possible to win power by embracing Russia.
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