France's military assistance to Ukraine not limited to supply of equipment - ambassador

France's Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

The diplomat noted that there is a constant dialogue between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron, including on the nature of aid provided by France.

"Emphasis is placed on the fact that this assistance has a specialized nature and meets Ukraine's needs. Based on this, we developed a number of criteria that we apply so that this assistance remains effective and at the same time does not weaken France's own security and defenses," he said.

According to him, this dialogue between the two presidents emphasizes that the aid must be comprehensive.

"It is not just about the supply of equipment. It is clear to everyone that it is also necessary to supply ammunition and ensure technical maintenance, that is, there must be a comprehensive approach," de Poncins said.

As an example of such an approach, he cited an agreement between France and Australia on the joint production of several thousand 155mm shells for Ukraine.

"I'd also like to emphasize the issue of maintaining the equipment we provide. Take the Caesar self-propelled guns, which have proven themselves well in battles. They also need repair and maintenance, so we ensure this, too," the diplomat said.

He also noted the importance of various instruments, including financial ones, which have been created, in particular, the opening of a credit line currently worth EUR 200 million.

"But I hope that soon this amount will be raised to EUR 300 million. This is the tool that enables Ukraine to purchase French-made equipment, including the weapons it needs," the French ambassador said.