SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIAN ENERGY SECTOR UNREASONABLE

PARIS, OCTOBER 14 /SRNA - RIA Novosti/ - Candidate in next year's French presidential election Marine Le Pen has criticized the sanctions imposed by Brussels on Russia's energy sector, describing them as reckless.

"We in the EU are waging an energy war against Russia, while we have no energy resources of our own. That is not very smart," she said.

Le Pen, who is also leader of the National Rally party, advocates a policy of military and political neutrality for France, withdrawal from NATO and the restoration of relations with Moscow.

In addition, her party supports suspending military aid to Kyiv, Paris’s diplomatic engagement in peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine, and the introduction of stricter border and migration controls.

According to the results of the latest poll, published yesterday, Le Pen emerged as the favorite in the upcoming presidential election, leading by 67 percentage points over the leader of the left-wing France Unbowed party Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and by 56 percentage points over former centrist prime minister Édouard Philippe.

The first round of the French presidential election will be held on April 18 next year, with a possible second round scheduled for May 2.