Russia and the French Elections: A Closer Look at Kremlin Influence and Interests

The second round of the legislative elections in France is approaching, and the Kremlin has stated that they are closely monitoring the election. Despite this, Dmitri Peskov believes that they have a clear idea of French voters’ preferences following the first round. Russian officials have linked the results of the French elections to upcoming elections in the United Kingdom and the United States, both key allies of Ukraine.

Speaker of the Duma Vyacheslav Volodin commented on the defeats suffered by leaders in power, referencing Joe Biden’s performance in a debate with Donald Trump and Macron’s party coming in third in the legislative elections. Despite these results, Russian officials and political scientists don’t anticipate a significant change in French support for Ukraine.

Vice-president of the Foreign Affairs Committee Vladimir Djabarov stated that improved relations between Paris and Moscow are not expected post-election. The Kremlin has taken note of the National Rally’s success in the legislative elections, a far-right party that has faced accusations of being influenced by Moscow due to financial connections. President of France Emmanuel Macron has advocated for using Western weapons to counter Russian military aggression in Ukraine.

Critics have pointed out that some candidates from the National Rally have been observers in elections organized by Russia, raising concerns about their alignment with Russian interests. The ongoing debate over their relations with Russia continues to shape discussions on French politics and foreign policy.

In contrast to some concerns about Russian influence, Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, has promised vigilance against Russian interference but assured that French support for Ukraine remains steadfast.

The Kremlin spokesperson has stated that they are awaiting further developments regarding Russian interference allegations against certain candidates from far-right parties like National Rally.