Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella condemn Russian intimidation and asset seizures in joint statement
National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella released a joint statement on Saturday following an Elysee security briefing, warning that Moscow cannot dictate French policy through threats or destabilisation.
Rejection of foreign interference
On Saturday, 19 September 2026, French National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella issued a joint statement condemning hostile operations conducted by the Russian Federation. The statement declared that Moscow cannot hope to dictate French state policy, either directly or indirectly, through mechanisms of intimidation, psychological pressure, threats, or political destabilisation. Le Pen, currently the polling front-runner for the French presidency, and Bardella, who serves as party president, firmly rejected any external attempts to steer French foreign commitments. They asserted that no clandestine actions or provocations would succeed in pushing Paris to help Moscow achieve its military objectives.
No provocation, no clandestine operation and no destabilisation action could lead France to facilitate Russia obtaining its war goals in Ukraine.
Opposition to corporate asset seizures
The party leadership also condemned Moscow's intervention against Western commercial entities that maintain operations in Russia. The joint text specifically addressed decisions by Russian authorities to take administrative control of assets belonging to European corporations, citing retailer Auchan and Swiss food multinational Nestlé. Le Pen and Bardella characterised these confiscations as hostile acts that directly violate the legal rights and economic interests of European businesses. They maintained that commercial entities should not be subjected to arbitrary state expropriation by foreign governments attempting to exert leverage over Europe.
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- Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella release a joint statement rejecting Russian intimidation.
Security briefings and infrastructure defence
The statement was published one day after a cross-party security meeting held at the Élysée Palace on Friday, 18 September 2026. Bardella attended the briefing, which was convened by President Emmanuel Macron to inform leaders of France's political forces about intensifying geopolitical crises and a deteriorating security environment. Following that briefing, Macron announced that he had instructed the French government to draft a national protection plan focused on shielding critical infrastructure from Russian hybrid threats. Le Pen and Bardella noted the worsening security assessment and expressed full political support for measures required to reinforce France's strategic infrastructure.
Democratic debate and foreign aid to Kyiv
The statement establishes the party's official stance regarding French assistance to Ukraine amid domestic political scrutiny. Le Pen has faced sustained criticism from political opponents over past positions viewed as conciliatory toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, National Rally Vice President Louis Aliot drew heavy criticism at the start of September after declaring a desire to cut off the flow of aid to Kyiv. In their joint release, Le Pen and Bardella distinguished between legitimate domestic political debate and intolerable foreign pressure.
The democratic debate must be able to address the level of financial support granted to Ukraine and the conditions of this support.
The leaders affirmed that the French parliament and electorate must retain the freedom to determine the scope and terms of financial commitments abroad. While they insisted that questioning funding levels remains a normal part of democratic governance, they maintained that external intimidation by foreign adversaries has no place in shaping national decisions.
