Promise comes after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a shock go to to Paris after securing $3b in navy assist from Germany.
France has promised to ship dozens extra gentle tanks and armoured autos to Ukraine and supply the mandatory coaching for the nation’s troopers to make use of them successfully.
The announcement got here after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flew into France late on Sunday to affix French President Emmanuel Macron for a working dinner on the Elysee Palace in Paris.
“Within the coming weeks, France will practice and equip a number of battalions with tens of armoured autos and lightweight tanks together with AMX-10RC,” the 2 leaders mentioned in a joint assertion on Monday after some three hours of talks.
Paris would additionally focus its efforts “in supporting Ukraine’s air defence capacities so as to defend its inhabitants towards Russian strikes”.
The assertion additionally warned of enhanced sanctions.
“Ukraine and France agree on the necessity to improve collective stress on Russia by additional sanctions to weaken Russia’s skill to proceed its unlawful struggle of aggression.”
The go to to Paris was a part of Zelenskyy’s whirlwind weekend tour of a number of key European allies to drum up navy and monetary help forward of an anticipated main Ukrainian counteroffensive towards Russian forces.
After securing a brand new $3bn navy package deal from Germany, Zelenskyy mentioned in Berlin on Sunday that Kyiv and its allies may make a Russian defeat “irreversible” as early as this yr.
In Paris, Macron reaffirmed that France will proceed to offer political, monetary, humanitarian and navy help to Ukraine for so long as mandatory, the assertion mentioned.
A supply on the French presidency advised reporters that further, extra fashionable defence programs could be made out there to Ukraine.
“Paris. With every go to, Ukraine’s defence and offensive capabilities are increasing,” Zelenskyy tweeted as he flew into the Villacoublay airbase on Sunday.
“The ties with Europe are getting stronger, and the stress on Russia is rising.”
The French AMX-10RCs autos have excessive pace and manoeuvrability, permitting them to maneuver rapidly on the battlefield and alter positions.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov known as them a “sniper rifle on … quick wheels.”
