Russia responds to warnings from France's Rassemblement National

Tensions between Russia and France have escalated following statements by Rassemblement National (RN) leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. The duo issued a joint warning against Moscow, stating they would not tolerate a foreign power attempting to dictate French policy through intimidation, pressure, or destabilization. This follows Russia's recent seizure of assets belonging to several European companies, including the French retailer Auchan.

In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov denied that Russia poses a threat to France or any other European nation, asserting that Russia does not engage in blackmail. However, former Russian President and current Security Council Deputy Secretary Dmitri Medvedev offered a sharper critique, labeling the RN a ‘russophobic’ party that supports ‘the Nazis in Kyiv’ after the party's recent shift toward a firmer stance against Moscow.

The diplomatic friction coincides with a period of heightened economic tension, as the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the seizure of French corporate subsidiaries in Russia as an act of placing those entities under tutelage.