Putin Congratulates Macron on French Election Victory

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia congratulated Emmanuel Macron on Monday for his re-election as France’s president after defeating Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate many in Russia favored as a possible game-changing possibility for the Kremlin amid the specter of new sanctions and within the midst of the battle in Ukraine.

“I sincerely want you success in your state actions, in addition to good well being and well-being,” Mr. Putin mentioned in a congratulatory observe to Mr. Macron, revealed by the Kremlin.

Mr. Macron has been one of many few Western politicians keen to have interaction with Mr. Putin, relentlessly making an attempt to push the Russian chief towards diplomacy. For the reason that begin of the battle on Feb. 24, the 2 presidents have had 9 phone conversations, in line with the Kremlin.

Nonetheless, Mr. Macron has been certain by the French dedication to the trans-Atlantic unity, one thing that Ms. Le Pen, his rival, was keen to weaken. Ms. Le Pen, whose Nationwide Rally get together borrowed thousands and thousands from a Russian financial institution over the previous decade, mentioned rapprochement with Russia can be her foreign-policy precedence as soon as the combating in Ukraine stopped.

A victory by Ms. Le Pen would have been seen as an important triumph for Mr. Putin, who has risked his nation’s long-term financial well-being for the sake of territorial acquire in Ukraine.

For some commentators in Russia, nonetheless, it wasn’t Ms. Le Pen’s far-right or pro-Moscow stance that prevented her from getting elected, however that she didn’t go far sufficient in endorsing the Kremlin.

Zakhar Prilepin, a conservative Russian author and politician, mentioned on social media that as a substitute of “making an attempt to get glued along with Macron into one undistinguishable ball,” Ms. Le Pen “needed to say that she helps the particular operation, would give up NATO, and ship the International Legion, Algerian particular forces and her personal safety element to Belgorod for drills.”