— I asked the producers (weapons) if we could turn to European countries that are utilized to buying American products," said Macron. He stated that those who buy Patriot systems should be offered French-Italian SAMP/T and those who buy F55 fighters should be offered Rafale.
Macron said that expanding production would require a simplification in production costs and the reorganisation of labour and training. As he noted, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. France has already made large advancement in the field of defence. “ In 2021 we produced 10 cannon-haubic Caesars, and this year we will produce 82, ” he recalled.
“Ukraine is simply a sovereign state”
Macron said he “does not exclude” from providing Kiev with further Mirage 2000 fighters. In early March, French aircraft first intercepted Russian rockets launched towards Ukraine.
The French president besides said that the decision to deploy a possible peace mission in Ukraine would belong to Ukraine. — Ukraine is simply a sovereign state. If he asks for the presence of allies in his territory, it is not something that Russia can accept or not accept," he noted.
He stressed that the intent of specified a mission would not be to send a immense number of soldiers to Ukraine, due to the fact that "the largest European army is Ukraine" (counting about 1 million soldiers). According to the President, it would be about placing respective 1000 soldiers at key points, "to conduct training and show our long-term support," he said.
