© AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on the French defense industry to move more quickly into “war economy mode”. For example, the needs of Ukraine in the war against Russia must be responded to as quickly as possible.
“We will continue to help the Ukrainians” because “we cannot let Russia think it can win,” Macron said in his New Year’s greetings to French troops in Cherbourg. “A Russian victory means the end of European security. To this end, France has an agreement with its defense industry, an industry in “war economy mode” with “a faster and more powerful production capacity,” according to Macron.
“I ask every boss to be fully focused on production and supply. We must never again be satisfied with production times that take years,” he said. He has been advocating for an industry in war economy mode since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Paris is criticized abroad for its weak support for Ukraine. Last week, Paris increased its support to Kiev, including about forty SCALP long-range missiles.