A group of countries led by France is blocking attempts to use EU money to purchase outside the bloc ammunition that could be used to help Ukraine, Politico reports, UNN writes, citing diplomats.
Details
"According to three EU diplomats, a small group of countries led by France is blocking attempts to use EU money to buy shells outside the bloc. The reason: European arms manufacturers need the orders to justify ramping up their production," the newspaper writes.
According to the diplomats, "earlier this week at a meeting of the Political and Security Committee, most EU countries favored allowing EU money to be used to buy non-EU-made shells as an emergency measure to help Ukraine." "But France, Greece and Cyprus opposed the effort, diplomats said," the newspaper notes.
This is despite the fact that a senior French official said late last month that France would allow purchases outside the EU if the bloc did not meet its goal of delivering 1 million rounds to Ukraine by March - which it will do.
France is also reportedly not disclosing the total amount of euros of its contributions to Ukraine, despite pressure from Germany (most countries have revealed their cards).
"Paris has sometimes taken the lead in supporting Ukraine by sending SCALP missiles, while Berlin refuses to send Taurus. But by making immediate support for Ukraine secondary to the goal of building the EU's arms industry, France is opening itself up to accusations of cold-bloodedness," the article says.