France’s Le Pen says Putin embodies ‘new vision’ of world

MOSCOW: France’s far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said Russian President Vladimir Putin represents a "new vision" of the world, following her meeting with the Kremlin strongman in Moscow on Friday.

"He represents a sovereign nation," the leader of the National Front far-right party told reporters. "I think he also represents a new vision."

"A new world has emerged in the past years. This is Vladimir Putin’s world, Donald Trump’s world in the United States, Mr (Narendra) Modi’s world in India," she said.

"I think I am probably the one who shares with all these great nations a vision of cooperation and not one of subservience -- a hawkish vision that has too often been expressed by the European Union."Speaking at Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, she vowed to push for the so-called "blacklists" of targeted individuals to be abolished.

Marine Le Pen has previously stated her approval of Russia's annexation of of Crimea. She also said that Russia and France should work together to save the world from globalism and Islamic fundamentalism.

Moscow likes what Marine Le Pen has to say. It likes her call for EU sanctions imposed on Russia to be scrapped. It likes her claim that "Crimea has always been Russian" and that "there was no Russian invasion of Crimea". It likes her commitment to forge a strong partnership with Moscow. Which explains why the Kremlin leader took the decision to meet her in Moscow.

It's rare for Vladimir Putin to receive a presidential candidate from abroad. I asked President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov whether any Russian banks or financial institutions intend to provide financing for Le Pen's campaign. "I don't have that information," he replied.

Coverage of her in the Russian state media has been favourable. There is little doubt Russia would be happy to deal with a President Le Pen.

However, today, the French far-right presidential candidate was less than happy to deal with the media. Journalists crowded into the lower house of parliament, the Duma, for a le Pen press briefing. She never showed up.

FN Treasurer Wallerand de Saint-Just has said Ms Le Pen's visit is not a cash-raising exercise, though party members have said they are seeking millions to fund the presidential and later the parliamentary election campaigns.

Recent opinion polls in France put Ms Le Pen neck-and-neck in the first round with centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, with Mr Macron slated to win the run-off.