France will not procure American weapons for Ukraine – Politico

France will not purchase American weapons for Ukraine.

This was reported to Politico by two French officials.

The publication notes that this procurement idea mainly originated from Germany.

“Given Europe’s limited production capacity, Chancellor Merz’s government believes that buying American weapons is one of the few ways to quickly supply Ukraine,” the article states.

However, “France — whose president has long insisted that Europeans strengthen their own defense-industrial base through local market purchases — was a notable omission from the list of countries willing to fund American supplies.”

At the same time, France is struggling to increase its defense budget.

The financing scheme will involve, in addition to Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and “another four Northern European countries.”

Recall that U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Patriot missile system components are already being supplied to Ukraine under the new agreement. These deliveries are coming from Germany, which will later replenish its stock by purchasing replacements from the U.S.