France's far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on January 3 that Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 was “not illegal.”

The Independent reports that in an interview with French television channel BFM TV, the leader of the National Front party sided with the Kremlin in a dispute that has contributed to the worst East-West ties since the Cold War.

Asked for her views on the diplomatic crisis, Ms. Le Pen, who leads the Front National in France and is a candidate in April’s presidential election, said: “I absolutely disagree that it was an illegal annexation: a referendum was held and residents of Crimea chose to rejoin Russia.”

“I see no grounds whatsoever to question this referendum,” she said.

Asked if she viewed Crimea as a part of Russia, Ms. Le Pen replied, “Yes.”

The British Government branded the referendum that took place in March 2014 “farcical” and “illegitimate.”

Russia was subsequently hit with sanctions and fierce criticism by the European Union and United Nations as well as national governments including the UK and France.

According to international law, Crimea is still legally a part of Ukraine and French, British and American leaders have refused to recognize the vote or Moscow's claims to the majority-Russian speaking territory.

Meanwhile, the Russian authorities insist that the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, a city with a special status on the Crimean Peninsula, where most residents are ethnic Russians, refused to recognize the legitimacy of authorities brought to power amid riots during the coup in Ukraine in February 2014.