It's just an opportunistic turnabout

This argument is used in the debate Does being on the left necessarily mean being in favor of mass immigration?.

This argument is an objection to MLP has condemned the invasion of Ukraine.

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Summary

Given the West's growing animosity towards Putin, MLP's skilfully nurtured ties with Putin were likely to become embarrassing, so in order not to lose face, she followed suit, condemning the invasion of Ukraine while sweeping the real nature of her relationship with Putin under the carpet.

Quotes

“Statements, trips, support, funding... Marine Le Pen and the Rassemblement National maintain close ties with the Russian regime, which they have tried to play down since the invasion of Ukraine.

On the eve of the 2017 presidential election, Marine Le Pen traveled to Moscow to shake hands with Vladimir Putin, in a scene with the allure of political knighthood. Five years later, the candidate of the Rassemblement National (RN) has changed her tone towards the master of the Kremlin, who has meanwhile invaded Ukraine:
" I have no ties of friendship with Vladimir Putin, whom I met once in my life, I don't even have financial ties with him."
An attempt to conceal a decade of political, ideological and financial closeness between Marine Le Pen and Vladimir Putin.”

Romain Geoffroy, Maxime Vaudano, “What are Marine Le Pen's links with Vladimir Putin's Russia?”, Le Monde, April 20, 2022.

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