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The leader of the far right in France and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen today defended in front of the media her ties with Russia and Vladimir Putin after the start of the occupation by Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Le Pen, who according to opinion polls will advance to the final round of the April presidential election against Emmanuel Macron, has faced criticism after a leaflet campaign that included a photo of her with the Russian leader.<\/p>\n
Her party, the Rassemblement National (National Rally), already denies that its officials destroyed the remaining part of the documents that were distributed last month.<\/p>\n
Some of her eight-page leaflets highlight Le Pen’s international status illustrated with photos of world leaders, including Russian leader Putin. The document can still be viewed on Le Pen’s campaign website <\/a>.<\/p>\n Le Pen was in Moscow when he met with the Russian leader before the 2017 presidential election. In October 2014, his right-wing party, then called the National Front, borrowed \u20ac 9mln from a Russian bank to finance the campaign.<\/p>\n Le Pen has criticized the Russian occupation of Ukraine and says the brochure campaign has not damaged sj’s reputation.<\/p>\n