French Far-Right Leader Drops Pro-Russian Stance, Aligns with Ukraine
In a significant shift, Jordan Bardella, the new leader of France’s far-right party "Rassemblement National" (RN), has distanced himself from the pro-Russian views of his predecessor, Marine Le Pen. He stands in solidarity with Ukraine, which is repelling Russia’s aggression, as reported by Le Monde.
Russia has long courted Europe’s far-right movements, financing many of them, including France’s RN. Le Pen, during her tenure as party leader, visited Moscow and received funds from the Russian-Czech bank Rossiya Bank. In return, she backed Russia’s aggressive maneuvers against Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea.
Bardella, however, has broken ranks with Le Pen’s pro-Russian stance. He has tasked party colleague Pierre-Romain Thiémé, elected to the European Parliament, to realign the party’s position towards a more pro-Ukraine stance. "Thiémé embodies the younger generation of far-right figures who are more drawn to Ukraine’s resistance than Putin’s imperialism," the article notes.
In his book "Ce que je cherche" ("What I Seek"), released in November 2024, Bardella criticizes Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He rejects Moscow’s narrative that the West and NATO provoked the war, and argues that a peace agreement would only embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin to further aggression.
Bardella attributes Le Pen’s 2022 election loss partly to her pro-Russian policy, citing her "weakness in the face of Kremlin expansionism." He now openly flaunts his contacts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and supports sending French troops to Ukraine.
However, there’s still no unity within RN on the Ukraine issue. The party retains old pro-Russian politicians, and its representatives in the European Parliament continue to vote against resolutions aiding Ukraine. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has caused a rift within France’s far-right.
This development comes as France and the UK have expressed readiness to aid Ukraine with troops, provided certain conditions are met, as outlined by NATO. Previously, France had also responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s suggestion of dialogue without Ukraine’s involvement.
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