France is considering having some of its arms manufacturing companies produce military equipment directly on Ukrainian soil. This plan was revealed by Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who announced that three French companies would establish partnerships with Ukrainian firms for the production of spare parts, and possibly in the future, ammunition on Ukrainian territory.
These partnerships will focus particularly on the sectors of drones and ground equipment, marking a significant step in strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities against Russian aggression. Lecornu stated that the first production facilities should be operational by this summer, emphasizing the importance of rapid implementation to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Among the companies involved, the minister hinted at KNDS, the holding structure formed by France’s Nexter and Germany’s Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann, signaling the involvement of leading arms manufacturers. This initiative, which has been positively received by Ukrainian defenders, reflects France’s ambition to establish arms production in Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian and French governments have signed a bilateral security cooperation agreement, allocating 3 billion euros in military aid for 2024. This agreement covers security assistance and the supply of modern military equipment in land, air, maritime, space, and cyber areas, with priority given to air defense, artillery, long-range weapons, armored vehicles, and enhancing the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force.
Recently, the French company Arquus Defense announced the establishment of a repair workshop in Ukraine, primarily focused on the maintenance and refurbishment of the French-made VAB armored vehicles supplied to Ukraine, to ensure their long-term operational availability.