French far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella say they will not tolerate Russia trying to dictate France’s policies through threats and intimidation
The leaders of France’s far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, said they would not tolerate Russia “thinking it could dictate our country’s policies directly or indirectly through intimidation, threats, destabilization or psychological pressure.”
They issued the statement the day after French President Emmanuel Macron met with political party leaders at the Élysée Palace to discuss geopolitical threats.
“No provocation, no covert operation and no act of destabilization can induce France to help Russia achieve its war aims in Ukraine. France makes its own foreign policy decisions in Paris, based solely on the nation’s interests. Those decisions cannot be made in Moscow or any other foreign capital,” Le Pen and Bardella said.
They supported “all necessary measures” to strengthen security for France’s strategic infrastructure, as well as facilities and companies involved in national defense.
The party leaders said France’s policy toward Ukraine should be subject to democratic debate: “These debates are legitimate. Foreign pressure is not.”
After the meeting, Macron said he had instructed the government to prepare a plan to protect critical infrastructure, including defense industry sites, from drone attacks and cyberattacks amid a growing Russian hybrid threat. He said such attacks would not go unanswered and accused Russia of trying to intimidate European countries and weaken support for Ukraine.
RFI said Le Pen and Bardella’s statement took a “much tougher tone toward Moscow” than some previous statements by party representatives. Opponents regularly criticize Le Pen for taking a softer line toward Moscow. Bardella, meanwhile, has said France’s current financial situation means the country can no longer provide military and financial aid to Kyiv.
In July 2026, Marine Le Pen said she planned to run in France’s 2027 presidential election.
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