Melenchon Blames Ukraine Strikes for War Escalation
The French far-left leader condemns Russia's invasion but argues Kyiv's drone attacks fuel the conflict.
Key points
- Melenchon condemns Russia's invasion but blames Ukrainian drone strikes for escalation.
- Marine Le Pen polls first but faces criticism for reducing aid to Ukraine.
- French voters will choose a new president in April 2027.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, a leading French presidential candidate, posted a video on September 23. He condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, he also blames Ukraine's deep drone strikes for escalating the conflict.
Melenchon asked why no one worries about the growing Russian threat. He suggested this is linked to Ukrainian attacks. This position contrasts with his party's stated demand for Russian withdrawal.
Rhetoric on drone strikes
In the video, Melenchon questioned why the Russian threat has increased. He speculated this relates to deep strikes by Ukraine. He asked if a country would ignore attacks on its capital.
According to the Kyiv Independent, this appeared to reference drone strikes on Moscow. Melenchon did not mention Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. He did not explain how to resolve the current stalemate.
French political landscape shifts
French voters will elect a new president in April 2027. Emmanuel Macron is ineligible to run for a third term. Marine Le Pen consistently polls first in current surveys.
Both Le Pen and Melenchon face criticism for views on Russia. Le Pen recently criticized Russia for seizing European company assets. She also said Paris should reduce financial aid to Ukraine.
Centrist candidates oppose aid cuts
Centrist candidate Gabriel Attal called Le Pen's remarks irresponsible. He argued that cutting aid worsens Russia's threat. He supports using frozen Russian assets to help Kyiv.
Other center candidates include Edouard Philippe and Raphael Glucksmann. Philippe visited Kyiv in May. Current polls suggest a potential run-off between Le Pen and Melenchon.
