Russia is welcoming calls for improved relations from a series of right-of-center political parties in Europe. In France, centerright Republican candidate Francois Fillon will compete against the far-right Front National party. Both are calling for closer ties with Moscow.
With Fillion securing a candidacy for president with France’s center-right Republican party, Moscow will be closely watching the French election in April, not least because Fillon is an advocate of closer relations with Russia.
“We’re going to need a lot of effort and many allies and among those allies is Russia, which we continue to sanction when it is Islamic State that we must defeat together,” Fillon said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he welcomes intentions to improve ties with Moscow voiced by the French presidential candidate. Putin and Fillon have good personal relations that began when the two men were their countries’ prime ministers.
Fillon’s foreign policy is in stark contrast with the current President Francois Hollande who has been accused in Russia of pursuing an American-aligned agenda.
Russia has been under EU and U.S. sanctions over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine since 2014. As a result, this and a plunge in global oil prices have lead to a financial crisis in the country. It is no surprise that Moscow is keen to have these sanctions lifted.
However, some experts say it remains to be seen whether right-of-center leaders in Europe act on their calls for closer ties with the Kremlin.
“Right-wing politicians, despite showing clear sympathy towards Russia when they are being nominated to a high-level post, as a rule, once they are elected, they tend to change their point of view and start to take into consideration Washington’s view,” said Aleksey Mukhin wiht Center for Political Information.
Moscow will be keeping a keen eye on the changing political landscape in Europe. The UK is preparing for Brexit and in France and Austria right-wingers are seen as favourites in presidential elections. And all of this as the Kremlin eagerly awaits the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House with Russia putting much faith in him for better, improved U.S.-Russian relations.
