France's National Rally Calls Russian Troops Withdrawal Encouraging Sign of De-Escalation

PARIS (Sputnik) - The withdrawal of Russian troops from the border with Ukraine is an encouraging sign of de-escalation, spokesman for the French National Rally party Jordan Bardella said on Wednesday, adding that Paris must cooperate with Moscow as well as with the other sides.

On Tuesday, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that Russia was withdrawing some forces away from the border with Ukraine and from Crimea where Russian personnel participated in military drills.

"I think Vladimir Putin's decision to withdraw the troops from the [Russia-Ukraine] border is an encouraging sign of de-escalation", Bardella said as quoted by France Inter radio.

Bardella added, that there were provocations from both sides because the United States had deployed its personnel on the border with Romania.

According to Bardella, this situation raises the question of whether France should be in NATO military command.

"NATO has become an instrument of US geopolitical dominance in Europe. If Marine Le Pen is elected President of the Republic in a few weeks, we expect to continue balanced relations with both the US and Russia. I think that economic warfare through European Parliament sanctions does not make any sense. We must work with Russia, we must speak with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, as well as with all the other countries of the world," Bardella noted.

In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of amassing troops near the Ukrainian border in preparation for invasion. Russia replied that it has no intention of invading Ukraine while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory.