Vlad to meet you! Le Pen’s surprise snap with Putin
(who insists that he’s NOT meddling in French election)
VLADIMIR Putin yesterday met French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen amid allegations that Moscow is influencing the election in her favour.
Mr Putin used the surprise meeting to deny a hacking campaign in support of the leader of the far-Right National Front party.
Speaking about the election, the Russian leader said: ‘We in no way want to influence events but retain for ourselves the right to meet with all representatives of all political powers, just as our partners in Europe and the US do.
‘We have always believed that Russia and France need to maintain and develop the ties that have bound us for a long time.’
They met hours after Miss Le Pen’s previously announced visit to the lower house of the Russian parliament at the invitation of its foreign affairs committee.
In an unexpected move, Mr Putin was then pictured chatting in the Kremlin with Miss Le Pen, who is shunned by many western governments, including Britain’s. Miss Le Pen’s ties with Mr Putin have come under scrutiny amid reports that Russia has meddled in the French election.
Paris has already strengthened its cyber security after allegations that Russia helped Donald Trump to win the US presidential election. Moscow and Mr Trump denied the claims.
But now Miss Le Pen’s main competitor, independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, is said to have become the main target of a Russian barrage of hacking and fake news.
Mr Macron’s digital campaign manager Mounir Mahjoubi blamed major Russian state media out- lets, saying: ‘Let’s be precise on this. We are accusing Russia Today and Sputnik News of being the first source of false information shared about our candidate.’
Miss Le Pen, who has often expressed admiration for Mr Putin and Mr Trump, is expected to get through the first round of voting in the elections in April but polls suggest she will be defeated by Mr Macron in the second round.
In yesterday’s meeting, Miss Le Pen showed her support for Russia by questioning the European Union sanctions on Russia brought in after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. ‘I see no reasons that justify the current hostile attitude,’ she said.
‘Hacking and fake news’