France has created a fund, initially worth €100 million, for Ukraine to directly buy weapons and other materiel it needs in its war against invading Russia, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday., reports RFI.
"We are setting up this special, dedicated fund initially with 100 million euros to allow the acquisition of equipment that we have already delivered and that we will continue to do so in terms of weapons, meaning defensive ones," Macron said after an EU summit in Prague.
He added that discussions were being held, particularly with Denmark, to deliver more highly accurate Caesar truck-mounted cannons to Ukraine, on top of the 18 it has already given.
According to French Daily Le Figaro, Macron said that the fund "will make it possible" for Ukraine "to also be able to work with the French defence industry" and that France is "ready to co-finance" purchases of "a total of 6" more Caesar systems.
Earlier on, France was repeatedly criticised over what was perceived as its "lower level of military support" to Ukraine compared with allies, but officials and experts say capacity rather than political will is at the root of the differences.