France signals shift to war footing to bolster Ukraine support

French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu has not dismissed the idea of giving precedence to military orders within the industry. The newspaper "Le Figaro" suggests that this comment indicates a shift towards steering the economy onto "war tracks," an approach President Emmanuel Macron had advocated for.

"I do not rule out" the requisition of "personnel, resources, and machinery" or "enforcing on the industry the priority of military orders," stated Sebastien Lecornu during a press conference on Tuesday, as reported by "Le Figaro".

He elaborated that these measures aim to bolster the French army and equip it to support Ukraine. Lecornu announced that, with Denmark's backing, France will provide Ukraine with 78 Caesar howitzers and supply approximately 88,000 pounds of 155 mm caliber ammunition by the end of this year.

He also affirmed that all actions are legally sound and can be implemented if there are delays in orders. He hinted at the possibility of "additional measures in this vein in the forthcoming weeks." Lecornu stressed that the military and financial efforts towards aiding Ukraine are necessary and defendable.

"Le Figaro" views the minister's statements as an execution of President Emmanuel Macron's plea to the military on 19 January. Macron stated at that time that France needs to prime its arms industry, which should function in a war mode "with faster and more robust production capabilities".

At the press conference on Tuesday, Lecornu was joined by Emmanuel Chiva, the armaments delegate for the army. Chiva highlighted that the French industry is capable of producing arms at a rate sufficient for France's requirements. He announced that this year, his country will manufacture 88,000 pounds of 155 mm caliber, and next year, this figure is expected to rise to between 220,000 and 330,000 pounds.

Sebastien Lecornu addressed the Czech initiative to procure artillery shells for Ukraine on Tuesday, mentioning France's participation. When questioned about why the French expenditure on shell purchases isn't disclosed, he explained that the initiative provides two options to contributors: the first is to transfer funds to the Czech government, which will handle the acquisition, and the second is to make purchases directly from the supplier.

The Minister detailed that Paris is aiding the Czech effort in sourcing the gunpowder necessary for ammunition production. France intends to produce the shells ordered through the Czech initiative using gunpowder acquired from the project. Additionally, he mentioned that weapons withdrawn from the French military are being allocated to Ukraine's war effort.

Regarding Moscow's conduct, Lecornu declared that "Russia poses a significant threat," with cyber-attacks on French civilian and military infrastructure serving as proof. "We cannot afford a Russian victory," he concluded.