Macron urges French defence firms to ramp up production
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged defence manufacturers to boost production and innovation as
Europe struggles to increase arms supplies to buttress Ukraine.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Macron has pushed the defence industry to switch to "war economy mode", reiterating his call during a visit to the Cherbourg naval base in northwestern France.
"We must amplify the transformation we have begun" to respond more quickly to Ukraine's needs in its war against Russia, Macron said in his New Year's address to the French armed forces.
"We can't let Russia think that it can win," Macron added, warning that "a Russian victory would mean the end of European security".
"We must never again be satisfied with production deadlines that extend over several years," the president said.
He said defence manufacturers were expected to ramp up speed and volume as well as innovate.
Macron praised France's "high quality" weapons but stressed that the country had not produced or innovated enough in the past, the "comfortable years" that he said provoked "a form of self-satisfied numbness".
"This world no longer allows that," he said.
Macron said some defence firms had been slow to understand "the importance of being able to deliver quickly" and had "over the last year and a half sometimes missed out on contracts, which I regret".
On Thursday, Ukraine warned that its army faced a "very real and pressing" ammunition shortage.
The European Union had promised to deliver one million shells by early 2024, but European Parliament lawmakers say only 300,000 have been delivered so far.
A French Senate report published Wednesday said Paris and other European governments were "not up to the challenge" of meeting Ukraine's ammunition requirements.
Last year France adopted a 413-billion-euro ($450 billion) military budget for 2024-2030, its most significant spending increase in decades.
Comments
See Also
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Macron has pushed the defence industry to switch to "war economy mode", reiterating his call during a visit to the Cherbourg naval base in northwestern France.
"We must amplify the transformation we have begun" to respond more quickly to Ukraine's needs in its war against Russia, Macron said in his New Year's address to the French armed forces.
"We can't let Russia think that it can win," Macron added, warning that "a Russian victory would mean the end of European security".
"We must never again be satisfied with production deadlines that extend over several years," the president said.
He said defence manufacturers were expected to ramp up speed and volume as well as innovate.
Macron praised France's "high quality" weapons but stressed that the country had not produced or innovated enough in the past, the "comfortable years" that he said provoked "a form of self-satisfied numbness".
"This world no longer allows that," he said.
Macron said some defence firms had been slow to understand "the importance of being able to deliver quickly" and had "over the last year and a half sometimes missed out on contracts, which I regret".
On Thursday, Ukraine warned that its army faced a "very real and pressing" ammunition shortage.
The European Union had promised to deliver one million shells by early 2024, but European Parliament lawmakers say only 300,000 have been delivered so far.
A French Senate report published Wednesday said Paris and other European governments were "not up to the challenge" of meeting Ukraine's ammunition requirements.
Last year France adopted a 413-billion-euro ($450 billion) military budget for 2024-2030, its most significant spending increase in decades.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.