The leader of the French far-right party “National Rally“ Jordan Bardella has called for a radical change in relations between France and Ukraine. In an interview with Bloomberg, published on September 6 and widely circulated today, the 30-year-old politician said that Paris should replace its unconditional support for Kiev with a transactional relationship, demanding economic guarantees.
In his comments, Bardella cited Washington’s transatlantic approach to the conflict as an example. He pointed out that the Americans had at least managed to secure support for Ukraine against the exploitation of its rare earth resources, referring to the previously concluded agreement between the US and Ukraine on access to critical minerals.
“We are drowning in debt, we are drowning in deficits. And it is irresponsible to make financial commitments and promise financial support to another country without having any guarantees“, emphasized the politician, quoted by “Ukrainska Pravda“.
New conditions for European aid
Bardella, who is positioning himself as a sure future prime minister of France in the event of Marine Le Pen's victory in the presidential elections in the spring of 2027, specified that the “National Assembly“ will not completely abandon Ukraine, since the country has international commitments. However, the aid will be subject to two main conditions:
- Resource collateral: France to gain access to Ukrainian deposits of critical raw materials or other economic assets similar to the American model.
- Restrictions on weapons: Financial assistance provided by European countries to be used only for the purchase of military equipment produced by the defense industry of the European donors themselves (according to data from „The New Voice of Ukraine“ - english.nv.ua/nation/50639130.html).
The geopolitical context and Trump
Bardella's position reflects the increased pressure from sovereigntist leaders in Europe, who openly sympathize with Donald Trump's economic patriotism. The statement also coincides with international diplomatic pressure, while in Moscow American envoys hold key meetings, notes “The Straits Times“ (straitstimes.com/world/europe/frances-far-right-chief-jordan-bardella-wants-ukraine-to-pay-for-europes-help).
While French President Emmanuel Macron continues to support the thesis of long-term and unconditional European support, the opposition in the person of Bardella is giving a clear signal that a possible change of power in Paris in 2027 will completely rearrange the rules for financing Ukraine's defense.