France launches artillery coalition to support Ukraine

By Nur Asena Erturk

France launched an artillery coalition to better support Ukraine in its war against Russia, according to an official statement.

"Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu launched on Thursday, Jan. 18, with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov, the coalition 'Artillery for Ukraine'," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The coalition aims to strengthen the military support for Kyiv in the short and long terms.

Artillery is the fifth and latest coalition topic inside the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (Ramstein-format) created to support Ukraine.

Lecornu also announced that France will deliver six additional Caesar howitzers to Ukraine in the coming weeks, the statement added.

The minister earlier told broadcaster France Inter that the upcoming spring season will be an important stage in the war.

When asked about the comparisons made to other Western countries in terms of military support for Ukraine, Lecornu stressed that "everything promised is truly delivered, and everything that is delivered, functions."

France will also deliver 50 precision-guided missiles A2SM every month, starting from January, Lecornu said, explaining that those air-to-ground missiles were successfully adapted to Soviet-type aircraft.

Paris will also provide with more shells by increasing its monthly delivery number to 3,000 as of this month, the minister added.

He further said that his country plans to build and deliver 78 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine in 2024.