“It is a recognition of the challenge Ukraine faces, and that there is a bit more give, it’s a credit to the French. They’ve had a longstanding concern [about purchases from non-EU countries], and it’s a sign that they are willing to be pragmatic,” said Mujtaba Rahman, Europe head of the Eurasia Group.
Ahead of the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered a sharp reminder that the EU had massively undershot promises on ammunition deliveries.
Speaking in Kyiv, Zelenskyy underlined the EU’s failure to deliver 1 million shells by March.
“Of the million shells promised to us by the European Union, not 50 percent arrived, but 30 percent. Unfortunately,” said Zelenskyy, alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov at a press conference.
Macron also announced that leaders agreed to set up a ninth capability coalition on deep strikes that will focus on medium- and long-range missiles. Other coalitions include artillery, air defense and de-mining.
While France and the U.K. have already sent cruise missiles to Ukraine, respectively SCALPs and Storm Shadows, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday reiterated that his government was not in favor of providing Kyiv with its long-range Taurus missiles.
The high-level gathering in Paris came as Ukraine, which has entered its third year of war against Russia’s invading forces, faces an ammunition gap on the front line and uncertainty over fickle Western support, despite having signed bilateral security deals with France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Denmark.
