French presidential candidates square off over war in Ukraine

Four days before France votes on its next president, incumbent Emmanuel Macron went head-to-head on Wednesday in a one-off debate with far-right challenger Marine Le Pen – and Russia’s war in Ukraine was among the night’s hot topics.

Macron said Russia was “going down a fatal path” and the role of France and Europe was to provide Ukraine with military equipment and to take in refugees.

Le Pen, who has been criticised for her being too close to the Kremlin and her party for taking a loan from a Russian bank in 2014, warned that giving Ukraine weapons could make France a “co-belligerent”.

But she supported her opponent’s policy of backing Ukraine and taking in refugees.

Macron chose the moment to go on the offensive, pointing out that his opponent was one of the first political leaders to recognise Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

“You’re speaking to your banker, not another world leader, when you speak to Russia,” he alleged.

Le Pen said she had taken Russian money as no French bank would lend to her party.

Macron has widened his lead over Le Pen in recent opinion polls recently, but the race remains close in the lead-up to Sunday.