France reportedly does not plan to join a NATO-backed initiative to have European countries fund US weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
President Emmanuel Macron has pushed for Europe to strengthen its own defense industry by focusing on domestic arms production, per a report citing two French officials.
According to Politico, Macron’s stance is a key reason behind Paris’s refusal to join the plan, which aims to spee up military support for Ukraine by tapping into existing NATO stockpiles, then backfilling their reduced inventories by purchasing US replacements.
France is also struggling to boost its defense spending due to ongoing efforts to reduce the national budget and cut its debt.
Italy has taken a similar position, La Stampa reported, also citing a lack of funding. “There has never been any talk of purchasing American weapons here,” a source in the Italian Defense Ministry told the outlet. Italy has already provided Ukraine with several Samp-T air defense systems, which are based on different technology.
Earlier, the Czech Republic also declined to take part in funding US arms for Ukraine. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Prague would instead focus on alternative ways to support Ukraine, including sending ammunition.
Germany has emerged as a leading proponent of the plan. Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently told US President Donald Trump that Berlin would play a “decisive role” in the deliveries.
The German government views the purchase of US weapons as one of the few quick ways to equip Ukraine, given Europe’s limited production capacity, Politico reported.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who arrived in Washington on Monday to meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, emphasized Germany’s commitment to greater responsibility for European defense, stating, “We are determined to assume greater responsibility for Europe’s deterrence and defense, while recognizing that the contribution of the United States of America remains indispensable to our collective security.”
He also revealed that Germany has approached the US about a potential purchase of Typhoon long-range missiles, which could offer a quicker solution for Ukraine as it seeks to repel Russia’s continued attacks. This comes as Germany has already offered to finance two additional Patriot systems for Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has named the UK, the Netherlands, and four Nordic NATO countries among the supporters of the initiative.
On July 14, Trump announced that the US and its NATO allies had agreed to a deal under which American weapons would be sent to Ukraine, with alliance members covering the cost. The next day, he said missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot systems were already being shipped from Germany.
“They’re already being shipped from... Germany and then replaced by Germany. And in all cases, the United States gets paid back in full.”
He said that Europe and NATO would fully reimburse the US for all expenditures, stating, “We’re always getting our money back in full. So we’re not going to have any more investments to make. We’re getting our money back in full.”