Macron doesn’t rule out Leclerc tank supplies to Kiev

World January 22, 2023, 21:00

French President stressed however that such supplies "should not lead to an escalation"

PARIS, January 22. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that he doesn’t rule out possible supplies of Leclerc tanks to Kiev.

"As for Leclerc tanks, nothing is impossible," he said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He said he has instructed Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu to look at this issue.

He stressed however that such supplies "should not lead to an escalation." It is also necessary to take into account the level of training of Ukrainian soldiers, he said, adding that such supplies must not impair France’s defense capacities either.

Macron also said that France "is coordinating its actions on these matters with its key partners, including with Germany." "We will continue this coordination in the coming weeks," he stressed.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal called on Paris in December to supply Leclerc tanks.

According to official data as of late 2022, the French army had 222 Leclerc tanks of the old modification and 200 of them are planned to be modernized until 2025.

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