Marine Le Pen: France can no longer provide aid to Ukraine

“Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right, stated on Wednesday during a meeting of the "Patriots for Europe" MEP group that France can no longer provide aid to Ukraine due to the country's precarious economic situation.

 

The leader of the National Rally party and presidential candidate cited her country's high deficit and weak economic growth as reasons for limiting aid to Ukraine.

 

In her view, other European Union countries with better financial standing should take over France's role in providing aid to Ukraine.

 

France is one of the key European suppliers of military support to Ukraine.

 

A French Senate report estimates the total gross value of military support at approximately €6.5 billion. Paris has supplied Kyiv with, among other things, Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets (the first units arrived in Ukraine in early 2025), SCALP-EG cruise missiles—the French equivalent of the British Storm Shadow—and AASM Hammer guided aerial bombs.

 

Regarding air defense, France has supplied SAMP/T anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile systems along with Aster 30 interceptor missiles. The schedule includes the delivery of additional next-generation batteries by 2027. Key elements of French artillery aid include CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, AMX-10RC reconnaissance vehicles, and VAB armored personnel carriers. Le Pen polling strongly ahead of presidential election

 

According to polls, Le Pen is the frontrunner for the first round of the French presidential election, scheduled for April 18 of next year.

 

The "Patriots for Europe" group in the European Parliament comprises: France’s National Rally, Hungary’s Fidesz, Matteo Salvini’s League (Italy), Spain’s Vox, the Czech ANO, the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders, and Belgium’s Vlaams Belang. It also includes the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), Portugal’s Chega, and other parties.

 

"Patriots for Europe" holds 85 seats in the European Parliament, making it the third-largest political group, trailing only the European People's Party (EPP) and the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group.”