Key facts
- Marine Le Pen's rivals are exploiting divisions within her National Rally party regarding military aid to Ukraine.
- National Rally vice president Louis Aliot suggested France would reduce aid to Ukraine if Le Pen wins the presidency.
- Former Prime Ministers Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal criticized Aliot's remarks, calling them pro-Russia.
- Le Pen called for a peace conference but did not echo Aliot's stance on limiting military assistance.
- The party's internal divisions on Russia, Ukraine, and NATO are being highlighted by opponents.
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party is facing scrutiny and internal division over its stance on Russia's war in Ukraine, with rivals seeking to exploit the issue to undermine her presidential bid.
The dispute erupted after Louis Aliot, a vice president of the National Rally, suggested in a television interview that France would "turn off the tap" on military aid to Ukraine if Le Pen wins next year's election, citing fiscal concerns.
This comment drew sharp criticism from center-right rivals and former Prime Ministers Edouard Philippe and Gabriel Attal. Philippe posted on X that cutting off aid would "play into Russia’s hands" and accused the National Rally of "subservience to Russia," while Attal echoed similar sentiments.
Le Pen responded by calling for an urgent peace conference to achieve a diplomatic resolution to the conflict but did not repeat Aliot's remarks about limiting military assistance. The party's internal divisions on Russia, Ukraine, and NATO have been previously reported, with President Jordan Bardella representing a more pro-European stance compared to Le Pen's historically more pro-Russia views.
Political opponents, including MEP Nathalie Loiseau, are actively trying to frame the National Rally as allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to damage Le Pen's electoral prospects. The National Rally is expected to release its campaign platform later this year, which may further clarify its positions.