France provides Ukraine with €6 billion in defense assistance
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, France has provided Ukraine with €6 billion in military aid.
This includes various weapons, ammunition, combat aircraft, and drones, as well as training for Ukrainian military personnel.
The Presidents of Ukraine and France met in Poland after the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the prisoners of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp.
During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Emmanuel Macron for his support of Ukraine.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, France has provided defense support worth 6 billion euros,” the Presidential Office reported.
The leaders also discussed the possibility of strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities on the part of France, which “will strengthen the position of our country to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
Particular attention was paid to security cooperation and, in particular, possible formats of security guarantees for Ukraine and the whole of Europe.
Military assistance
At the end of December, a group of Ukrainian pilots completed training on Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets in France. Ukrainian ground support personnel also completed training on these aircraft.
After the modernization, the fighter jets will be able to use French-British SCALP EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles and French AASM bombs, which Ukrainian pilots already have experience with.
Ukrainian artillerymen are actively using French wheeled 155mm Caesar self-propelled howitzers to attack the Russian invaders.
A rare French VAB Mk.3 armored personnel carrier with a Ukrainian Sich combat module has been spotted in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Sich combat module is equally noteworthy. It is equipped with a ZTM-1 30mm automatic cannon (a copy of the 2A72), an AG-30 automatic grenade launcher, and a PKT 7.62mm machine gun. The operator controls it remotely using the control panel inside the vehicle.
