France has put forward a plan to increase ammunition production in the EU amid contradictions in the bloc

   

Sebastien Lecorny

French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecorny announced the need to develop a new European plan to increase the production of ammunition, including sophisticated weapons systems such as missiles. This issue will be a key one at the meeting of EU defense ministers in Warsaw this week. Lecornu also called on the European Commission to accelerate the deployment of the IRIS2 satellite constellation by increasing its budget.   

France's plan is aimed at overcoming the shortage of ammunition, which was acutely manifested during the support of Ukraine. Lecornu stressed that the EU should reduce its dependence on American supplies and invest in its own defense enterprises, as previously called for by President Emmanuel Macron. Special emphasis is placed on missile technologies and air defense systems, which are critically important for deterring threats.    

Lecorny proposed speeding up the creation of the IRIS2 sovereign satellite group, which will provide secure communications and intelligence for military operations. This decision is related to the growth of cyber threats and the need for autonomy from global systems such as Starlink.   

France's initiative arose against the background of the failures of previous EU plans. For example, the massive defense project Macron's plan for joint arms purchases met with resistance from Spain, Italy and other countries. In addition, Kiev had previously offered Europe joint arms production, but the idea did not receive support.