Ukraine Might Ban Marine Le Pen and Her Thoughts on European Currency

Marine Le Pen may no longer be welcome in Ukraine.

This is because Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Front party and contender in her country’s upcoming presidential race, was quoted by French television as saying the annexation of Crimea by Russia was not illegal. Instead, she said, it was the will of the Crimean people as expressed by referendum in 2014. That referendum, however, is recognized as illegitimate by Ukraine, and as illegal by the United Nations.

“Making statements that repeat Kremlin propaganda, the French politician shows disrespect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and completely ignores the fundamental principles of international law,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a Wednesday statement. “In this regard, we remind that such statements and actions in violation of the Ukrainian legislation will necessarily have consequences, as it was in the case of certain French politicians, who are denied entry to Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian Security Service reportedly sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry in Kiev to coordinate the ban.

However, it is unlikely that Le Pen will walk back her position on Ukraine, given her general penchant for Putin — and her very specific need for campaign cash. French banks are refusing to lend the National Front the 20 million euros it needs for coming presidential and legislative elections. The party got a 9 million euro loan in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank in Moscow, but FCRB lost its license in July.

Le Pen was reportedly going to be more careful anyway in taking Russian rubles, for fear of criticism by the French press. On Saturday, however, it was reported that her party may, in fact, ask Moscow anew — Le Pen’s condemnation of foreign influence on France be damned.

In other news on Le Pen and les pennies: On Tuesday, she also modified her position on France’s departure from the eurozone. While Le Pen has long said that, if elected, she would hold a referendum for France to leave the European Union — to Frexit, if you will. But she now believes France should return to the French franc, yet still remain in a common European currency.

Le Pen also has suggested she would step down if she were elected but her referendum later to fail. At the moment, polls are not in her favor for either situation: She is not expected to win the presidency, and the French are not expected to want withdrawal from the EU. At the moment, however, polls are largely meaningless and should not comfort, for example, Ukrainians who would rather all presidents of major EU countries recognize their territorial sovereignty.

Photo credit: MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images