Ukraine may face difficulties in receiving military aid due to the political crisis in France. Despite French President Emmanuel Macron’s commitments, the collapse of the government and failure to pass the budget on Wednesday (December 4) have raised concerns about Kyiv’s ability to secure assistance, according to British news agency Reuters.
Ahead of Wednesday’s no-confidence vote, Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu told a Le Parisien journalist that a significant portion of aid to Ukraine comes from transferring old equipment from the French military, after which new equipment is purchased for the army. A reduction in new equipment purchases could impact aid to Ukraine.
In November, France trained nearly 2,000 Ukrainians. Additionally, it supplied Kyiv with armored vehicles, Caesar howitzer cannons, anti-tank missile units, surface-to-air missiles, and battlefield radars.
Recently, France sent new missiles to Ukraine using seized Russian funds. It also planned to deliver Mirage fighter jets in the first quarter of 2025.
Earlier in October, Lecornu had stated that Paris would fail to meet its pledge of €3 billion in aid for 2024. However, the assistance is expected to exceed €2 billion.
He further mentioned that due to the failure to pass the 2025 budget, the 2024 budget will be reapplied next year. This could hinder the goal of reaching a €50 billion defense budget, leaving the military with a €3.3 billion shortfall.