France did not support EU plan for Storm Shadow missiles for Ukraine – media
France has opposed the European Union’s plan to simplify the procurement mechanism for British Storm Shadow cruise missiles for Ukraine.
This was reported by the British newspaper The Telegraph, citing a diplomatic source.
According to the publication’s interlocutor, Paris insists that the EU loan funds be spent exclusively within the European Union, and not outside it.
This is an EU loan of 90 billion euros, which provides for the purchase of weapons mainly in EU countries and in Ukraine. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has calculated that in 2025 the country will need 24 billion euros worth of weapons from outside the European Union.
A significant portion of this amount concerns the supply of Patriot air defense systems and American-made PAC-3 interceptors. A separate need remains for long-range missiles, which the European defense industry cannot always provide in the required quantities.
That is why 11 EU countries identified the British Storm Shadow cruise missile as a possible option to close this gap and proposed to soften the loan terms so that Ukraine could purchase them.
France, however, insists on a different approach. Paris is convinced that financial assistance to Ukraine should primarily support the EU’s defense industry, and not be directed directly at Kyiv’s defense needs.
The approach has already drawn criticism within the bloc, with European officials warning that the restrictions could hamper Ukraine’s ability to defend itself effectively.
It was previously reported that Germany has almost exhausted its capabilities to support Ukraine’s air defense.