French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that Ukraine could launch French long-range missiles at Russia “in self-defense,” reports UNN citing the BBC.
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Barro told the media that there are no “red lines” in supporting Ukraine.
He said Ukraine could launch French long-range missiles at Russia “in self-defense,” but did not confirm whether French weapons had already been used.
“The principle has been established ... our messages to President Zelensky were well received,” Barro said.
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The publication recalls that French President Macron indicated France's willingness to allow its missiles to be launched at Russia earlier this year. But Barro's comments are significant because they came days after the first use of long-range missiles by the United States and Britain.
Barro, who held talks with Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London on Friday, said Western allies should not limit support for Ukraine against russia and “not set or express red lines.
Asked whether this could mean French troops taking part in the fighting at all, he said, “We are not ruling out any options.
“We will support Ukraine as intensively and for as long as necessary. Why? Because our security is at stake. Every time the Russian army advances one square kilometer, the threat becomes one square kilometer closer to Europe,” he said.
Barro hinted at Ukraine's invitation to join NATO, as requested by President Zelensky. “We are open to an invitation, and so in our discussions with friends and allies and friends and allies of Ukraine, we are working to bring them closer to our positions,” Barro said.
And he suggested that Western countries will have to increase the amount they spend on defense, noting, “Of course we're going to have to spend more if we want to do more, and I think we're going to have to face these new challenges.
Barro's comments come after a week of significant escalation in Ukraine - Britain and the U.S. launching long-range missiles at russia for the first time, russia launching an intercontinental ballistic missile and Vladimir Putin suggesting the possibility of global war.
One UK government source describes the moment as a “critical moment” before winter and before Donald Trump returns to the White House.