France to provide more light tanks and armoured vehicles to Ukraine

France has pledged to supply Ukraine with dozens more light tanks and armored vehicles, following a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris. The announcement comes as Kyiv prepares for a widely anticipated counter-offensive against Russia.

Zelensky visited Macron at the Elysee Palace after making stops in Rome and Germany, where they discussed increasing military aid. As a result, France will be equipping and training several battalions with armored vehicles and light tanks, including AMX-10RCs. The two leaders also agreed on implementing further sanctions against Moscow in response to its invasion of Ukraine, aiming to weaken Russia’s ability to pursue its aggressive campaign.

Ukraine has been actively preparing to seize back territories captured by Russia, amassing Western-supplied munitions and securing diplomatic support on a whirlwind tour. Zelensky’s visit to Paris followed an event in Germany, where European Union leaders presented him with an award for the bravery shown by the Ukrainian people in upholding European values.

The Ukrainian leader’s weekend trip included a visit to Rome, where he met Italian leaders and Pope Francis, and precedes an EU summit in Reykjavik and G7 leaders gathering in Japan. During his first visit to Germany since Russia’s invasion, Zelensky praised the country as a true friend and reliable ally of Ukraine.

Germany is in the process of providing a new €2.7 billion (US$3 billion) military package to Kyiv. This represents Germany’s most substantial contribution to Ukraine to date, making the country the second-largest contributor of tanks, rockets, and anti-missile systems, after the United States.

Despite initial hesitance to support Ukraine, Berlin has recently committed to sending more firing units and launchers for the Iris-T anti-missile system, 30 additional Leopard 1 tanks, over 100 armored combat vehicles, and more than 200 surveillance drones. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged the nation’s support for Ukraine for as long as necessary reports Bangkok Post.

Ukraine’s armed forces are focusing on training and preparing key weaponry to reclaim territory in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, the nation has captured more than ten Russian positions on the outskirts of the town of Bakhmut, amid ongoing clashes in the area. Russia confirmed the deaths of two of its military commanders in combat near Bakhmut.