Air defense systems, ammunition production, aviation: Ukraine and France strengthen defense cooperation

During a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov held talks with French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

The primary focus of the discussions was the development of joint projects in the defense industry. The parties discussed ongoing developments and agreed to further elaborate on the details of upcoming projects.

Key areas of cooperation include:

• Advanced air defense and missile defense systems, along with their munitions;
• Ammunition production;
• Aviation weaponry.

The ministers discussed mechanisms for implementing and funding these projects to accelerate their implementation. Special attention was given to maintaining French weapon systems already deployed on the battlefield, notably the Caesar self-propelled artillery systems.

“Together with Minister Lecornu, we outlined further priorities. Ahead lie large-scale defense projects between Ukraine and France that will strengthen our resilience and Europe's collective security,” Rustem Umerov emphasized.