French government collapse raises questions over Ukraine support

5/12/2024 5:54

        The fall of France's government
        on Wednesday and the failure to pass a budget could make it
        difficult for Paris to ramp up its support for Ukraine despite
        President Emmanuel Macron's repeated promises to help Kyiv for
        as long as necessary.
        
        France in November completed the training of some 2,000
        Ukrainians, including providing armoured vehicles for troop
        movements and reconnaissance, Caesar howitzers, anti-tank
        missile units, surface-to-air missiles and battlefield radars.
        
        It also sent new missiles in recent weeks using funds from
        frozen Russian assets and plans to provide Mirage fighter jets
        in the first quarter of 2025.
        
        However, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a potential
        future prime minister, already said in October that France would
        fall short of a 3 billion euro ($3.16 billion) pledge for 2024
        with the figure being above 2 billion euros.
        
        Speaking ahead of a no-confidence vote on Wednesday that saw
        Michel Barnier's government collapse, Lecornu said there would
        be an impact on France's support for Ukraine.
        
        "A large part of the Ukrainian support is the transfer of
        old equipment from the French army that is then replaced with
        new equipment," Lecornu told Le Parisien newspaper.
        
        "If we slow the order of new equipment then we will have a
        slowdown of deliveries for Ukraine."
        
        By not passing the 2025 budget, which will in essence mean
        the 2024 budget will be reconducted next year, the defence
        budget would not reach its 50 billion euros target and signify a
        loss for the army of 3.3 billion euros, Lecornu said.