France is accused of slowing down an EU package worth 2 billion euros ($2.12 billion) to buy weapons for Ukraine by demanding that munitions be manufactured within the bloc, Britain’s Telegraph newspaper reported.
On Wednesday, the newspaper quoted European sources as saying that “Paris wanted guarantees that the agreement to jointly buy weapons should benefit only companies within the European Union.”
Ukraine talks about a shortage of ammunition… and veiled criticism of Germany
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba urged Germany on Sunday to quickly deliver ammunition supplies and start training Ukrainian pilots for Western fighter jets.
Kuleba told the German newspaper “Bild am Sonntag” that the lack of ammunition is the “number one” problem facing Ukraine to repel the Russian attack.
He added that German arms manufacturers told him during the Munich Security Conference last month that they were ready for the delivery process but were waiting for the government to sign the contracts.
“So the problem is the government,” Kuleba was quoted as saying.
He said he did not expect Ukraine to receive the fighter jets it was asking for from Western allies anytime soon.
But he said, according to the newspaper, that Ukrainian pilots should be trained anyway so that they are ready once that decision is made.
He explained that if Germany trained Ukrainian pilots, it would be “a clear message for its political participation.”
