France’s far-right leader Le Pen has Putin ties dating back to 2014

A meeting at Le Pen’s mansion

Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally, has had close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin for many years. In 2014, she met with Putin at her mansion in Montretout, on the outskirts of Paris. The meeting was arranged by a Russian businessman with close ties to the Kremlin. Le Pen has said that she has met with Putin on several other occasions, but she has not provided any details about these meetings.

A loan from a Russian bank

In 2014, Le Pen’s party, the National Front, received a loan of 9 million euros from a Russian bank. The loan was used to help finance the party’s campaign in the 2017 French presidential election. Le Pen has said that the loan was a commercial transaction and that it did not influence her party’s policies. However, some observers have questioned whether the loan was part of a broader effort by Russia to influence the French election.

A trip to Moscow

In 2017, Le Pen traveled to Moscow to meet with Putin. The meeting was held at the Kremlin and was attended by several other Russian officials. Le Pen has said that the meeting was about discussing the situation in Syria. However, some observers have speculated that the meeting was also about discussing the future of French-Russian relations.

Her stance on the Ukraine war

Since the start of the Ukraine war, Le Pen has been a vocal critic of Western sanctions against Russia. She has also said that she believes that Ukraine should be neutral and that it should not join NATO. Le Pen’s stance on the Ukraine war has been criticized by some observers, who have accused her of being too close to Putin. However, Le Pen has defended her stance, saying that she is simply putting the interests of France first.

Impact of her ties to Putin

Le Pen’s ties to Putin have had a significant impact on her political career. She has been accused of being a Russian stooge, and her opponents have used her ties to Putin to attack her. However, Le Pen has defended her ties to Putin, saying that she is simply trying to build a good relationship with Russia. It remains to be seen how Le Pen’s ties to Putin will affect her political future.