The fall of France’s government could make it difficult for Paris to ramp up its support for Ukraine, Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, a potential future prime minister, has warned.
According to Reuters, most of France’s aid consists of outdated equipment transferred to Ukraine after being replaced. However, the failure to approve the 2025 budget and the political crisis jeopardise this scheme.
Already this year, Paris is expected to fall short of its €3 billion pledge for 2024, with contributions exceeding €2 billion but not reaching the target.
If the 2025 budget is not passed, the defence budget will fall short of its €50 billion target, resulting in a €3.3 billion shortfall for the army. This would mean no new purchases and the suspension of arms transfers to Kyiv.
- For the first time since 1962, the French parliament passed a vote of no confidence in the government.