Jean-Luc Melenchon’s call for people in territory affected by a Ukraine peace settlement to have a say drew criticism from France’s foreign minister and a left-wing rival on Sunday, AFP reported.
At a Saturday campaign speech, Melenchon argued that residents affected by a change in territorial control should be asked whether they accept it. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told RTL/Public Senat that Melenchon had “made himself the Kremlin’s spokesman” and said the remarks disqualified him from the presidency.
Raphael Glucksmann, Melenchon’s main rival on the left, told BFMTV that Melenchon was echoing messaging promoted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Glucksmann also said Russia had forced Ukrainians from parts of the Donbas it already controlled.
Melenchon rejected Barrot’s criticism in a Sunday post on X, saying the minister was attributing his own position on giving up the Donbas to him. He pointed to a December 2025 proposal on “territorial exchanges.”
AFP reported that the exchange came before planned U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russia and Ukraine, aimed at ending the war. Ukraine has not agreed to territorial concessions in peace talks. AFP also reported that polling suggests Melenchon may reach the second round of France’s 2027 presidential election.
