French companies to produce military equipment in Ukraine, defense minister says

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – French companies will produce military equipment in Ukraine, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Friday, a move meant to help the country in its war against Russia.

"French companies will establish partnerships - three of them particularly, for drones and terrestrial material – with Ukrainian companies to produce spare parts on Ukrainian soil, and maybe even ammunition later, but this would take more time," Lecornu told broadcasters BFMTV-RMC.

He said civilian staff of the French defense industry would be present in Ukraine for production starting this summer.

Ukraine is said to be facing a shortage of artillery and ammunition, affecting its war effort against Russia, which launched a "special military operation" in the neighboring country two years ago.

Asked about President Emmanuel Macron's recent remarks on support for Ukraine, Lecornu said: "The president was clear that there will be no co-belligerence. He was also clear on the fact that we have not tried everything to support Ukraine differently."

The minister explained that sending troops to Ukraine was discussed in the conference of European leaders in Paris, but there was no consensus and it was not about deploying "combatant troops."

He said the situation in Ukraine is different from what it was two years ago, claiming that Russia also started aggressing European democracies in the cyber and information world.

President Macron aimed to organize a meeting and discuss all possible support for Ukraine, the minister added.

Macron last week refused to rule out the dispatch of Western ground troops to Ukraine, a suggestion that surprised many in Europe. But NATO countries, including the US, UK, and Germany, rejected the idea.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in response, warned of direct conflict if NATO troops were deployed there.