France and Australia signed an agreement to supply 155 mm shells to Ukraine to support it in its war against Russia, announced on Monday, January 30, the French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his Australian colleague Richard Marles.
“Several thousand 155mm shells are going to be produced jointly,” declared Sébastien Lecornu, while Richard Marles spoke of a “multi-million dollar Australian project”, a “new cooperation between Australian and French defense industries ”.
The French defense minister specified that Nexter — a major French defense manufacturer — would be partnering with Australian companies that would supply the powder for the shells. “This forms part of the ongoing level of support that both France and Australia are providing Ukraine to make sure that Ukraine is able to stay in this conflict and be able to see it concluded on its own terms”, Australian Defense minister Richard Marles added.
Neither minister would specify quantities beyond “several thousand” artillery shells but they indicated this would be a long-term collaboration.