The French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has said that once the Russia-Ukraine war is over, she would propose closer links between Nato and Russia and pull France out of the military command of the US-led alliance.

“As soon as the Russian-Ukrainian war is over and has been settled by a peace treaty, I will call for the implementation of a strategic rapprochement between Nato and Russia,” she said at a press conference.

Le Pen, who is polling at 45% to Emmanuel Macron’s 55% for the presidential runoff vote on 24 April, called the press conference on foreign policy to try to take the spotlight off her previous close relationship with Vladimir Putin, which has led to claims from Macron that she was “complacent” and “financially dependent” on the Kremlin.

Le Pen said any talk of her betraying French interests or being indebted to Putin was “inaccurate and particularly unjust”.