Photo: France contributes less than 2 percent of foreign arms aid to Ukraine
If you want to lead Europe in a new era of military self-reliance, why is the contribution to the Ukraine war so low? Some of France's leading military analysts are pressing President Emmanuel Macron to arm Ukraine. BBC news.
A recent analysis of Ukraine and neighboring Poland shows that the United States provided 49 percent of foreign arms to Ukraine, Poland 22 percent, and Germany 9 percent. France contributed less than 2 percent there.
Francois Heisberg, France's most influential defense analyst, said he visited Poland and found France ninth on the list of foreign arms distributors. French defense officials argue that some countries are supplying old weapons. But France has supplied 18 state-of-the-art 'Caesars cannons', which are bringing success to the frontline in Ukraine.
France's National Defense Review Editor General Jérôme Pelistrand said, "Although we seem to be lagging behind other countries, in reality France is playing its role properly."
Analyst Francois Heisberg said the low attendance on the main stage risked being pushed out of the scene. It seems we (France) are becoming irrelevant in Kiev. Another cause for concern for France is that its less-involved role in the war in Ukraine is weakening its claim to leadership in Europe's defense.
Many countries in Eastern Europe have warned about French President Macron. They believe Macron courted Russian President Vladimir Putin early in the war. There are also rumors that France is still skeptical about the victory in Ukraine.
In such a context, French experts have advised the French government to supply more tanks and air defense equipment to Ukraine. They commented that it should be done not only to show kindness but also for their own protection.
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