The leader of the French far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon said that Ukrainian strikes on targets on Russian territory allegedly led to an escalation of the war, Le Monde newspaper reported.
On September 23, Mélenchon published a video on the social network X, in which he commented on the war in Ukraine. The French presidential candidate noted that his party - "Indomitable France" (La France Insoumise) - has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine from day one and has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops from the country.
However, in the video, Mélenchon also accused Ukraine of escalating tensions.
"This is not an attempt to justify Russia - because the moment you say a single word dictated by common sense, you are accused of treason. But still, who can imagine a country that allows its capital to be attacked without reacting to such a situation? This is unthinkable. Even if Russia is the aggressor against Ukraine," the politician said.
Mélenchon added that he sees no other solution than diplomacy and dialogue.