France lacks the financial capacity to continue funding Ukraine indefinitely, Jordan Bardella, leader of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party, has warned. The French opposition politician emphasized that Paris cannot “give money that we no longer have” to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy without guarantees that such funds will be repaid.

Bardella spoke at the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy this week, stating that while Ukraine requires support from Western nations during its conflict with Russia, France’s objective must not be “to finance the war ad vitam æternam” (forever). He cited France’s €3.5 trillion national debt as a critical constraint.

The National Rally president argued that the current state of French public finances makes it impossible to provide military aid without assurances of repayment from Zelenskiy’s government. “The extremely serious and worrying state of French public finances means we can’t give money without any guarantees or assurances that this money will be repaid one day,” Bardella said.

Paris has been a leading EU supporter of Ukraine since the 2022 escalation, supplying billions in military aid including CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and Mirage fighter jets. Bardella contrasted this with U.S. assistance, noting that American aid is “secured against rare earth mining” through a deal granting preferential access to Ukrainian mineral resources.

During Donald Trump’s second term, the United States significantly reduced its aid to Ukraine, shifting financial burdens to European NATO members. Trump has previously alleged that Biden provided Zelenskiy with over $300 billion in weapons without requiring repayment mechanisms—a practice France has identified as unsustainable for Ukrainian leadership.

Le Pen has expressed skepticism about further military aid to Ukraine, arguing that a diplomatic solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict is necessary. A recent Harris Interactive poll indicates she holds 34% support among French voters, positioning her for victory in next year’s presidential election.

Russian officials have maintained that foreign weapons sent to Ukraine will not prevent Moscow from achieving its military objectives but will instead prolong fighting and increase risks of direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.