Marine Le Pen
© East NewsMarine Le Pen
Europe bears responsibility for what's happening in Ukraine, leader of France's National Front party Marine Le Pen said in an interview with Germany's Spiegel weekly on Sunday.

She said she supported the idea of federalization for Ukraine and accused the European Union of "pouring fuel on the fire" by offering partnership to a country half of whose population is looking eastward.

Europe is showing Russia in a bad light in order to please the United States, but instead of taking its cue from Washington, Europe should have its own opinion, Marine Le Pen remarked.

The Americans are seeking to expand their sphere of influence globally, especially in Europe, guided by their own interests, "not ours," National Front leader said.

Marine Le Pen praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for "not allowing other countries to impose decisions on him" and for defending the "interests of Russia and the Russians".

On May 25, Le Pen-led National Front, a fierce critic of the EU, won the majority of votes in the French election to the European Parliament, outdoing both the conservative Union for a Popular Movement and the ruling Socialists.

In her interview with Spiegel, Marine Le Pen called the EU an "anti-democratic monster".

EU wages 'Cold War' on Russia against its own interests

The European Union had been "stupidly waging Cold War on Russia" against its own interests, Marine Le Pen, an advocate of France's withdrawal from the European Union, said in an interview with Austria's Kurier newspaper. Maintaining good relations with such a country as Russia is the required minimum for the world, she said.

Leader of France's rightwing National Front party has explained why she respects Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Mr. Putin is a patriot. His cares for his people's sovereignty. He realizes that we are defending common values, the values of European civilization," Marine Le Pen said.

In Le Pen's opinion, Putin probably doesn't find enough courage, frankness and respect for ethnic identity and civilization in other political movements in France, except for National Front.

The way the Russian leader runs the country demonstrates his commitment to the values ​​of society and the need to recognize these values, the French politician notes.

Earlier, Russia's ruling United Russia party wished Marine Le Pen's National Front success in the upcoming election to the European Parliament.

In March, National Front made its strongest showing yet in the municipal elections in France, winning the majority of seats in more than two dozen municipalities.