Photo : Collected
Ukraine will receive hundreds of VAB armored vehicles, which have been in service with the French army for more than 40 years, as part of a new military aid package, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.
"After recent talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron asked me to work on a new aid package that will include old equipment from our army that is still functioning. In order to hold such a large front line, the Ukrainian army needs, for example, our front line armored vehicles," Lecornu said in an interview released on Sunday (31 March).
Lecornu also pledged to provide Ukraine with more Aster 30 missiles for French SAMP/T surface-to-air missile systems as part of the new aid package without elaborating the exact number.
On Tuesday, Lecornu said that Macron had instructed him to prepare a new package of military aid for Ukraine. The minister also said he was ready to use his powers to seize industrial facilities or impose priorities on defense companies to speed up arms production amid the conflict in Ukraine.
Western countries have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict. In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all NATO countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.
Messenger/Mumu
