Marine Le Pen is ready to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels to discuss financial support for Kyiv. France’s presidential candidate made the statement to journalists at the Made in France exhibition in Paris.
“I think the location of the meeting is logical. The reality is that the issue of financing Ukraine is precisely what is shaking Europe at the moment,” Le Pen said.
On Monday, she will hold a closed-door meeting with Ukraine’s ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko. She said that during the meeting she would inform him of her readiness to hold talks with Zelensky in Brussels. No specific date has been set for a meeting between the two presidents.
The dispute over new funding
Le Pen said that several countries had opposed additional funding for Ukraine. According to her, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had begun putting pressure on various countries.
Merz proposed that negotiations on the European Union’s next multiannual budget be tied to a commitment by all 27 member states to participate in funding Ukraine. The prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Slovakia criticized this approach.
Le Pen’s position on aid to Kyiv
In October, Le Pen said that if she won France’s presidential election in 2027, the country would maintain financial aid for Kyiv for another six months, after which it would end it. At the time, she expressed her willingness to visit Ukraine and hold talks with Zelensky.
In response, the Ukrainian president emphasized that cooperation with Ukraine was also beneficial for France, including because of Ukraine’s experience in the military and technology sectors. For now, the announced meeting with Ambassador Omelchenko is the only concrete diplomatic step linked to the proposal for talks between Le Pen and Zelensky.
Sources: bta.bg, ukrinform.net, lemonde.fr