Before the French elections.. Europe is preparing for a new round of sanctions on Russia

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Ukrainian and European officials are preparing for what they fear will be the final round of sanctions against Russia before the French presidential elections scheduled for April.

Kiev and Brussels are considering precautionary measures and plans in anticipation of the victory of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen for the French presidency, and the resulting decline in Paris’s support for Ukraine, according to what the British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Sunday.

A source involved in the discussions pointed out that February may represent “the last opportunity to impose sanctions due to the French elections.”

This comes as Le Pen leads the race to the Elysee Palace, calling for an end to the European sanctions imposed on Russia and stopping Ukraine's accession to the European Union, considering that Kiev's accession would be tantamount to "economic suicide" for Europe.

As she said in Brussels last week: “We were right when we said that sanctions would have no impact on Russia.”

Since the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the European Union has imposed 22 packages of sanctions on Moscow.

While the approval of each package requires the unanimous approval of the 27 member states, which practically gives each country the right to veto these measures.

The latest package was approved on October 12, adding 1,600 Russian individuals and entities to a list of nearly 4,600 names and entities.

For their part, European Union officials told The Telegraph that the bloc would be “lucky” if it was able to pass another package after February, when the French election campaigns enter their peak.

In parallel with the sanctions file, Ukraine seeks to make as much progress as possible on the path to joining the European Union before Le Pen comes to power, and it also calls on other capitals of the bloc to help push this process forward.

However, joining the Union is a long and complex path that may take a full decade, as it requires the implementation of difficult reforms. Many member states will also demand guarantees confirming Kiev's seriousness in fighting corruption before allowing it to join, something that is not expected to be achieved during the war.

Kiev believes that making progress in the negotiating chapters with the European Commission is extremely important, in anticipation of Le Pen's arrival to the French presidency and her opposition to achieving further progress in the process of Ukraine's accession.

For his part, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Vsevolod Chentsov, explained to The Telegraph, saying: “We are not asking for shortcuts, but what we are asking for is that member states understand and appreciate the geopolitical momentum.”

Kiev is also preparing to prepare a “membership statement” in an attempt to convince Le Pen that Ukraine’s accession “can help Europe confront the war waged by Russia,” benefiting from the experiences that Kiev developed during years of conflict with Moscow.

“You do not need to send tanks or hit capitals with ballistic missiles to cause a political or social crisis or a technological catastrophe,” Chentsov said. “Unfortunately, Russia is strengthening its capabilities and using Ukraine as a training ground.”

He also added: "Yes, reforms, legislation and institutional stability are necessary criteria for entering the European Union, but it should also be realized that supporting and investing in Ukraine, in the broader sense, means that the bloc is investing in its security."

He added: "We are facing a very unusual situation, as the country nominated to join is now able to provide a great deal of expertise and contribute to strengthening the union."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that Le Pen is “not deeply informed about some details,” describing defense cooperation as a “win-win” situation.