MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Sebastien Cochard, a right-wing National Front (FN) candidate for the eleventh constituency in the upcoming French legislative election, told Sputnik that anti-Russian sanctions could be lifted and expressed hope that pragmatism would triumph over other considerations.
Cochard explained that it would be easier for French President Emmanuel Macron to tackle lifting sanctions than for his US counterpart Donald Trump, whose campaign is being investigated by the FBI and the Department of Justice for alleged ties to Moscow, with the latter repeatedly denying any collusion with Trump's campaign or interference in the US election.
"For example, it will be easier for him to improve relations with Russia than for Trump, who is accused of alleged spying for Russians. It will be difficult for Trump to lift sanctions in this situation. For Macron, being an alleged victim of the Russian attacks, it is easier to lift sanctions. I am still hoping that something good will come out of it," the FN member said.
According to Cochard, the allegations made by the staffers of then-candidate Emanuel Macron, that he was being attacked by the Russian hackers and media, only served to help him gain public's favor.
"Since the beginning of his campaign, his team was saying, ‘Look we are the good guys because we have been attacked by Russian hackers and the media.’ It is obviously ideological staff. They are using the anti-Russian trend in their favor," Cochard said.
The United States, the European Union and a number of other countries have introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia since 2014 related to the conflict in Ukraine and Crimean reunification, claiming Moscow has interfered in Ukraine’s internal affairs. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations.
At June election, the FN candidate will be competing for the constituency for the French residing overseas that stretches across most of Asia, the whole of Oceania, and part of Eastern Europe, including Russia.
