The National Rally (RN), a right-wing political party in France, has suggested reducing or stopping financial support for Ukraine, a position that has sparked controversy and criticism from political rivals. The idea was first raised by Louis Aliot, vice-president of the RN, during an interview with BFMTV, where he said, "We turn off the tap." He argued that France is facing significant challenges in its healthcare, education, and economy, yet continues to spend money on military aid for Ukraine. This stance has drawn sharp responses from opponents, including Édouard Philippe, a center-right candidate, who accused the RN of "serving Russia" and criticized the party's leader, Marine Le Pen, for her past connections with Russia. Philippe pointed to her 2017 visit to the Kremlin and a loan she received from a Russian bank in the 2010s. Le Pen denied these claims, calling them "calumny," and noted that Philippe had hosted Russian officials during his time as prime minister. She emphasized her push for a "major peace conference" to resolve the conflict diplomatically. Jordan Bardella, the RN's leader, sought to temper the proposal during a visit to the United Kingdom with Nigel Farage, a British politician. Bardella stated that if the RN were to gain power, France would still uphold its international commitments but would not be bound by future decisions. He also highlighted France’s financial difficulties and mentioned that the United States had explored using rare earths—critical materials used in high-tech industries—to secure aid funding. The proposal has also drawn criticism from the left. Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the RN has never changed and will always prioritize Russia over the Ukrainian people’s resistance. Raphaël Glucksmann, a left-wing presidential candidate, called the RN the "party of surrender" and warned against letting it gain power in the 2027 elections. However, not all on the left are united in their stance on the Ukraine war. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the Unsubmissive movement, argued that France should keep its commitments but warned against allowing Ukraine to conduct deep military strikes into Russian territory. He insisted that Russia must withdraw from Ukraine but also aimed to reintegrate Russia into the European community in the long term.