Le Pen questions French aid to Ukraine

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally (RN), has said she is ready to discuss ending France’s financial support for Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelensky. She argues France cannot afford to keep funding Ukraine’s war effort and plans to stop the aid six months after becoming president.

Zelensky criticizes Le Pen’s stance

Zelensky responded to Le Pen’s comments in an interview with the Financial Times, saying the cost of aid is not as high as the lives lost in the war. He suggested Le Pen may not fully grasp the importance of the financial support for Ukraine’s security and development.

Le Pen details France’s financial commitments

In an interview with CNews, Le Pen stated she is open to debating the issue with Zelensky and would visit Ukraine if invited. She claims France no longer has the financial resources to continue the aid, which has cost 6 billion euros annually. However, this figure includes military, humanitarian, and EU-related contributions, making it hard to verify.

France’s total aid to Ukraine estimated

According to the German institute Kiel, France has committed around 27 billion euros to support Ukraine from February 2022 to August 2026. Of this, only 799 million euros was direct bilateral financial aid, mostly in the form of military equipment and supplies, valued at 6.2 billion euros.

Le Pen promises continued military support

Le Pen assured on LCI that if she is elected, France will continue to supply military aid, such as equipment, to Ukraine. Zelensky emphasized that the aid is not a direct payment but a way to help Ukraine build its strength and security through experience and resources.

Limited RN presence in Ukraine

Only one National Rally elected official, deputy Laurent Jacobelli, has visited Ukraine since the war began. He went in September 2026 as part of a parliamentary mission focused on European defense issues.