Scandal in France: what the presidential candidate said about the war in Ukraine

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the French left-wing radical party "La France Insoumise", sparked a scandal with statements about the war in Ukraine, in which he placed the aggressor and the victim on the same level, declaring the inadmissibility of "losing face" for Moscow and blaming Ukrainian strikes for escalation. Politicians and experts condemned his rhetoric, noting its closeness to Kremlin narratives.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the French left-wing radical party "La France Insoumise" (LFI) and a presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, found himself at the center of a scandal due to his statements about Russia's war against Ukraine. At a pre-election press conference on September 23, he stated that the escalation of the conflict could be linked to Ukraine's actions and its strikes on Russian territory, and added that "you cannot make the Russians lose face, but you cannot make the Ukrainians lose face either," effectively equating the aggressor and the victim. This drew sharp criticism from French politicians, including Green candidate Marine Tondelier and centrist Raphaël Glucksmann, who emphasized the inadmissibility of such rhetoric. Analysts noted that Mélenchon's position was closest to Kremlin narratives. Later, the politician tried to soften the impact, claiming he had deliberately provoked his opponents, but did not retract his proposals. Previously, the LFI faction abstained from voting on a resolution in support of Ukraine in November 2022 and opposed a security agreement in March 2024.