Le Pen Slams U.S. Military Aid Freeze—After Years of Opposing Weapons for Ukraine

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, has condemned the White House’s decision to halt military assistance to Ukraine. Le Pen expressed her disapproval in a conversation with Le Figaro on March 4.

In her latest remarks, Le Pen appeared to shift her rhetoric regarding the Trump administration.

“I consider the brutality of this decision to be reprehensible,” she said. “It is very cruel for the Ukrainian soldiers engaged in a patriotic defense of their country.”

Le Pen acknowledged that no one can force the U.S. to continue its support if Washington no longer wishes to do so. However, she stressed that “it is very questionable not to give Ukraine a reasonable time to turn around.”

She also noted that while weapons deliveries could be replaced, the loss of U.S. intelligence, technological, and digital support would be far more critical for Ukraine.

Le Pen has repeatedly opposed sanctions on Russia, criticized military aid to Ukraine, and called for France to leave NATO’s military command, aligning with Kremlin interests. While she has recently tried to soften her stance, her past opposition to arming Ukraine makes her condemnation of the U.S. freezing military aid a notable shift in rhetoric.

On March 4, U.S. media reported that Trump had ordered all military aid to Ukraine to be suspended until he sees what he described as “good faith efforts toward peace” from Ukraine’s leadership. The decision reportedly affects weapons shipments already en route from the U.S. to Ukraine.

Shortly after, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that reports from the Ukrainian border and the U.S. aid hub in Jasionka confirmed that U.S. military assistance to Ukraine had indeed been put on hold.