PARIS (AP) \u2014 France will soon be able to deliver 78 Caesar howitzers to Ukraine and will boost its supply of shells to meet Kyiv\u2019s urgent needs for ammunition to fight Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion, the defense minister said Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defense Minister S\u00e9bastien Lecornu said at a news conference that an agreement was reached among France, Ukraine and Denmark to finance the Caesar self-propelled 155 mm howitzers, which will enable France to \u201cquickly deliver\u201d them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
France has also set a goal to deliver 80,000 shells for 155 mm guns to Ukraine this year \u2014 up from 30,000 delivered since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24, 2022, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, Lecornu said, France is participating in an effort to identify available stocks of gunpowder and ammunition that could be bought from countries outside the European Union, a\u00a0plan initiated by the Czech Republic\u00a0to further support Kyiv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the plan, the Czechs seek to obtain 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine. Czech leaders previously said the first shells should be delivered to Ukraine no later than June. At least 18 countries have joined the initiative, according to officials in Prague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this month, Germany, France and Poland vowed to procure more weapons for Kyiv and step up production of military equipment, promising that Ukraine can rely on the trio of European powers as it tries to\u00a0overcome a shortage\u00a0of military resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lecornu argued that European countries should reduce their reliance on the U.S. to ensure the continent\u2019s security. He said he expects the issue to be a campaign topic before the European Parliament election in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe know that part of Europe\u2019s security agenda should from now on fall on Europeans,\u201d Lecornu said. \u201cThat\u2019s an absolute necessity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo me … it\u2019s not right that the U.S. taxpayer should have to pay so much for the Europeans\u2019 security,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lecornu\u2019s comments come as many in Europe have raised concerns that the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House would weaken the NATO alliance, after\u00a0his remarks\u00a0threatening not to come to the defense of allies in the event of an attack by Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if U.S. President Joe Biden stays in office,\u00a0EU leaders worry\u00a0that the long, slow U.S. pivot to Asia to focus on an ever-more assertive China will pick up speed and increasingly leave Europe to take care of its own security. U.S. efforts to get new funds to arm Ukraine have\u00a0stalled in Congress.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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