Marine Le Pen stated that she is willing to speak with Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is trying to persuade Marine Le Pen, France’s far-right leader and the favorite in opinion polls for next year’s presidential election, to maintain financial and military support for Ukraine in the event of an electoral victory.

Le Pen said in Paris that she was willing to speak with Zelensky in Brussels, amid her repeated promises to halt French funding for Ukraine’s defense. She argued that such a meeting was justified because the issue of funding for Ukraine had become a concern at the European level.

The meeting could take place on Monday, when Le Pen is scheduled to meet Ukraine’s ambassador to France in Brussels. She said she would propose that the Ukrainian president take part in the talks.

Zelensky had previously invited Le Pen to Kyiv, telling L’Express that she could change her position if she became more familiar with the realities in Ukraine. Le Pen maintains that France can no longer afford to fund Ukraine’s defense and estimates the annual aid at approximately six billion euros, a figure disputed by Zelensky.

Support for Ukraine has become a central issue in France’s political debate, amid efforts to reduce the budget deficit. Meanwhile, far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has called for a referendum on the future of Donbas, a region almost entirely occupied by Russia.