France will encourage its defense companies to produce military equipment in Ukraine to help the country in its war against Russia.
What is known about France's plans to produce military equipment in Ukraine
French MOD chief Sebastien Lecornu reported on Mar.8, Reuters informs.
Three French companies will be setting up partnerships with Ukrainian companies, in particular in the drone and land equipment sectors, to produce spare parts on Ukrainian soil, and perhaps ammunition in the future, Lecorniu said.
According to him, there are plans to launch the first production facilities in the summer of 2024.
The French defense minister did not say which defense companies were involved, but hinted that among the companies involved would be tank manufacturer KNDS, a holding structure formed by France's Nexter and Germany's Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann.
The Czech defence company will produce ammunition in Ukraine
The Czech company Czechoslovak Group (CSG), one of the largest European arms manufacturers, wants to help Ukraine increase its own production of heavy ammunition to counter Russian aggression.
According to the owner and executive director of CSG, billionaire Michal Strnad, the Czech company would like to invest "hundreds of millions of euros" in Ukraine and is already negotiating with the Ukrainian state concern "Ukrainian Defence Industry" about a potential joint venture.
The enterprise will produce heavy munitions and equipment, ensuring production ramp-up in the coming years.
CSG became an important supplier to Ukraine after the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022, delivering refurbished T-72 tanks along with ammunition, howitzers and other equipment.
The company's business has grown sharply thanks to these supplies, along with a renewed focus in Europe on defense spending. In 2022, the revenue of the defence enterprise reached 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion).
