France’s far-left leader attacked for remarks on Ukraine

PARIS: France’s far-left presidential contender Jean-Luc Melenchon was attacked by political rivals on Sunday over comments about Ukraine that critics said made him sound like a Kremlin spokesman.

Melenchon, leader of the France Unbowed (LFI) party, said in a speech on Saturday that settling the Ukraine conflict could not be done by granting territorial concessions without consulting the people concerned.

But Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Melenchon had “simply made himself the Kremlin’s spokesman” in his remarks on a peace settlement in Ukraine.

And that, “in my opinion definitively disqualifies him from holding the position to which he aspires,” he told broadcaster RTL/Public Senat.