MOSCOW, Sept 21 (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia does not pose a threat to France or any European country, rejecting comments by the leadership of France’s hardline National Rally as false.
In a joint statement at the weekend, presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, the party’s president, said they would “never tolerate a foreign power, in this case, Russia, seeking to dictate, directly or indirectly, the policy of our country through intimidation, threats, destabilization or psychological pressure.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow did not accept the criticism.
“We do not agree with this statement. Russia is not threatening France or any other country in Europe. President Putin has stated this on numerous occasions. We have no disputes with any European states that could give rise to any serious disagreements,” said Peskov.
“Russia therefore poses no threat whatsoever; it threatens no one and blackmails no one. We therefore categorically disagree with such statements. We do not accept them,” he added.
(Reporting by Anastasia LyrchikovaWriting by Alessandra Prentice Editing by Andrew Osborn )
