French company signs a deal to supply Ukraine with weapons worth €36 million

Verney-Carron has signed a €36 million contract with Ukraine’s stat-company Ukrspetsexport to supply weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Cybergun press service reported this.

Verney-Carron, a subsidiary of the French arms manufacturer Cybergun, has signed a framework agreement to supply Ukraine with 10,000 assault rifles, 2,000 sniper rifles and 400 grenade launchers worth EUR 36 million.

“This framework contract calls for VERNEY-CARRON to supply 10,000 assault rifles, 2,000 precision rifles and 400 grenade launchers. It bears witness to the continuing strengthening bilateral relations between France and Ukraine in the field of defense cooperation, and the capacity of the ability of the French arms industry to contribute to this cooperation. cooperation. The implementation of this framework contract is subject to the provision of the necessary financing, which by Ukrainian and French funds, within the framework of an agreement between the Ukrainian State and the Ukraine Support Fund.,” the press release said.

Deliveries of qualification batches are scheduled for early 2024, the company said. The first production deliveries are scheduled 6 months after execution of the framework contract, subject to VERNEY-CARRON obtaining the necessary import-export authorizations between France and Ukraine in the field of arms.

The delivery process will take 10 months, enabling the French company to adapt its production facilities to the volumes involved.

The first round of negotiations between Ukraine and France on a bilateral agreement on security guarantees was launched on October 19.

France joined Britain in supplying Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, which can travel 250 km. It allowed Ukrainian forces to hit Russian troops and military facilities deep behind the frontlines.

Media claimed that Paris supplied around 50 SCALP missiles from European manufacturer MBDA. SCALP, the French version of Storm Shadow, has a range of 250 km, three times as far as Ukraine’s domestic missile capacities.

The French government has committed an estimated $1.87 billion in total aid to Ukraine, with approximately 30% earmarked for military assistance. France provided Ukraine with SCALP long-range guided missiles, Caesar self-propelled howitzers, AMX-10 wheeled light tanks, SAMP/T air defence systems, and more.

In the summer, France also pledged to provide Ukraine with more military support to help the counteroffensive. During Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy’s May visit to Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron offered to provide Ukraine with more tanks and armoured battle vehicles.

Ukraine requires more weapons and continuous supplies as the war with Russia has become prolonged. Kyiv is getting assistance from the US and the European Union states.

Read also: Top 15 countries that provided Ukraine with military aid