MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Monday that the outcome of the first round of parliamentary elections in France confirmed trends already being observed in various European countries.

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party scored historic gains to win the first round of France's parliamentary election, but the final outcome will depend on days of alliance-building before next week's run-off vote.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow was closely following the elections in France and thought the way the first round had gone reflected a Europe-wide trend.

"We are following the course of these elections very closely, and the trends that have previously emerged in a number of European countries, including France, are being confirmed," said Peskov.

"We will wait for the second round, although the preferences of French voters are more or less clear to us."

  - Reuters