“Absolutely”: for General Christophe Gomart, France disarms itself by arming Ukraine

The move was expected on both sides. The Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu went to kyiv for the first time, almost a year after the start of the conflict against Russia. A meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart was organized with the aim of proving France’s military support for Ukraine and reaffirming France’s commitment to supplying arms during the coming months of the conflict.

However, in the face of Great Britain, Germany, Poland and of course the United States, the aid from Paris pales in comparison. The nation only points to the 10th position of the most “supportive” countries. “I think that France gives up to its means”, considers General Christophe Gomart at the microphone of Europe 1. For the latter, “Sébastien Lecornu’s visit to kyiv”, was also organized to “know what the needs were of the Ukrainian army after France donated 18 CEASAR guns and a number of ammunition.”

“keep resources”

But we must not forget “that France has the first European army, but also commitments elsewhere in the world”, underlines the former head of military intelligence. “So our country needs to keep resources and in particular, ammunition and guns”.

Despite weaker military aid than some of its neighbors, France has been able to be generous, assures General Christophe Gomart. “When we say that we gave 18 CEASAR guns”, it means “that we gave 25% of our artillery. I don’t know if Poland gave exactly the same thing”, he underlines.

The issue of arms stockpiles

One question remains for both countries: the quantity of weapons produced and delivered. “France is lucky to have a good arms industry. But it works just in time, that is to say that in fact there are no stocks. once the contract is signed. And above all, the production lines are not infinite”, he explains.

So France must dip into its resources to support Ukraine against the Russian enemy. A necessary support but which obliges France to disarm itself by arming kyiv, warns the General. “We stripped, forgive me the expression”, he concludes at the microphone of Europe 1.