Marine Le Pen has thrown down the gauntlet to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offering to travel to Kyiv to debate her pledge to halt French military and financial support for Ukraine if she wins the 2027 presidential election. Speaking on CNews on Thursday, the National Rally leader said she was open to a direct conversation with the Ukrainian president, insisting she bore him no personal ill will.
“We could perfectly well debate this issue whenever he wishes,” Le Pen said. “If Mr Zelenskyy would like us to talk, I will gladly come to Ukraine. But what I want to tell him is that we no longer have the financial means to provide assistance.”
Her remarks came a day after she told Flemish broadcaster VRT News that French aid to Ukraine, which she estimates at €6 billion a year, was unsustainable. That figure broadly matches the average annual level of French support since February 2022, including bilateral contributions and payments into European Union mechanisms. Le Pen said she would maintain aid for the first six months of her mandate “so as not to force anyone's hand”, but would then stop financial assistance because “we no longer have the means”.
Zelenskyy hits back
Zelenskyy responded sharply, telling the Financial Times that Le Pen “does not fully grasp certain details” of Franco-Ukrainian military cooperation. He argued that the partnership is a “win-win” for both countries, pointing to the way Ukraine's combat experience has helped refine French and European weapons systems.
“We give something back,” Zelenskyy said, citing the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air-defence systems, which have been repeatedly modified to meet real battlefield conditions, and the Franco-British Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missiles. He insisted that France “can only gain” from the collaboration, as testing equipment in live combat accelerates innovation and improves reliability.
The Ukrainian leader's comments came as he attended an EU summit in Brussels, where he sought to shore up European backing amid growing uncertainty over US support. Zelenskyy's turn to Brussels reflects a broader shift as Kyiv looks to Europe for long-term security guarantees.
Macron and ministers push back
President Emmanuel Macron, who met Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit, reiterated France's unwavering support. In the face of intensifying Russian attacks, Macron said it was “vital” to provide Kyiv with “all the means necessary” to defend itself and protect its population and infrastructure, stressing that “France will continue to shoulder its responsibilities”.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned that ending aid would be “the surest way of bringing the war closer to our borders”. His comments echoed a central argument of the government: that supporting Ukraine is not charity but a strategic investment in European security.
Rivals condemn Le Pen's stance
Le Pen's proposal drew fierce criticism from across the political spectrum. Gabriel Attal, the Renaissance candidate for the presidency, accused her of wanting to “let Ukrainians be butchered”. “Supporting Ukraine is not a humanitarian operation to make ourselves feel good, it is our own defence,” the former prime minister told Franceinfo.
Raphaël Glucksmann, who won the social-democratic primary, denounced what he called a “capitulation” and “submission” to Vladimir Putin. “If we cut aid to Ukraine, that means subjecting the whole of Europe to Vladimir Putin,” he said on France 5, adding that Le Pen should “absolutely not take power”.
Édouard Philippe, the Horizons candidate, described Le Pen's comments as a “betrayal” in a post on X. “To say that France will stop helping Ukraine at the end of 2027 is to weaken it even further at a time when, more than ever, we need to close ranks around it,” he wrote.
Even outside the presidential race, the backlash was swift. Charles Consigny, a liberal commentator and former Les Républicains candidate, argued that Le Pen's position serves Putin's interests. “Putin is eagerly awaiting Marine Le Pen's victory,” he posted on X.
Within her own camp, National Rally MP Laure Lavalette defended the proposal, telling RMC that “we can no longer help Ukraine. The coffers are empty.” She later admitted she did not know the exact amount of France's contribution.
Germany leads European aid
According to the Kiel Institute, a German research centre, France has committed a total of €27 billion to Ukraine since the invasion began, including €7.9 billion in bilateral aid and €19 billion through European mechanisms. Germany remains Europe's largest donor, with more than €50 billion pledged, ahead of France, Italy and the Netherlands.
Le Pen's proposal comes at a delicate moment for European unity on Ukraine. With EU leaders closing ranks behind Zelenskyy amid transatlantic tensions, any shift in French policy could have ripple effects across the continent. The debate also touches on broader questions about burden-sharing and the sustainability of European support as the war enters its fourth year.
For now, Zelenskyy has not accepted Le Pen's offer of a debate, but his pointed response suggests he is not willing to let her claims go unchallenged. The exchange underscores how Ukraine has become a central fault line in French politics, with the 2027 election looming and the war showing no signs of abating.
