French far-right leader Marine Le Pen slammed the tense exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “slap in the face” for Europe, warning that the continent’s security remains at the mercy of Washington.
Speaking at the Salon de l’Agriculture farming exhibition in Paris Saturday morning, the National Rally politician argued that the confrontation underscored Europe’s lack of strategic autonomy, channeling the Gaullist tradition of skepticism toward U.S. influence. While she described the face-off as “understandably tense” given the “very difficult” situation, she played down its significance beyond optics.
At Friday’s meeting at the White House, Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy, accusing the Ukrainian president of showing insufficient gratitude for U.S. support. The clash ended with Trump canceling a planned press conference and halting the planned signing of a framework minerals deal between the two countries.
European leaders swiftly closed ranks behind Zelenskyy, with figures like French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirming support for Kyiv and warning against Trump’s alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Le Pen also took a firm stance against expanding the EU’s defense role in response, warning that Brussels must not use the moment to “take advantage” and claim greater powers. She reiterated her opposition to sharing France’s nuclear deterrent. The issues could prove pivotal ahead of the 2027 French presidential elections.
Bartosz Brzeziński reported from Brussels. Marion Solletty reported from Paris.