National Front Denies Le Pen Visited Moscow to Discuss $9.8Mln Loan

Earlier, media reported that Le Pen came to Moscow to discuss a 9-million-euro ($9.8 million) loan, the claim Le Pen later denied.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – France's National Front party denied in a comment to Sputnik that its leader, Marine Le Pen, came to Moscow on Tuesday to discuss a $9.8-million loan.

The real reason for her trip was not the loan, Marine Le Pen’s European affairs adviser Ludovic de Danne told Sputnik, adding that the National Front leader visited Russia to meet with speaker of the Russian State Duma Sergei Naryshkin.

The National Front leader's Moscow visit was not on her provisional agenda, and was not commented on by the party’s press-office. The meeting between Le Pen and Naryshkin was held behind closed doors.

The two discussed the prospects of developing Russian-French interparliamentary ties, Naryshkin said, following the talks.

During her meeting with the Russian lawmaker, Le Pen criticized French authorities for their decision not to deliver the promised Mistral ships to Russia and skip the Victory Day parade in Moscow. The National Front leader stressed that the French government was heavily influenced by the United States, including its stance on the anti-Russian sanctions.

Le Pen has repeatedly stated that the policy of sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis was "not a good idea" and urged for countries to pursue their own agenda.