France plans to send Caesar guns to Ukraine again

President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that France is considering sending Caesar guns, the centerpiece of French artillery, to Ukraine again, AFP reported.

“We are working on several requests, with several member states of the European Union, especially regarding the new Caesar (cannons),” he said at a press conference after the first meeting of the European Political Community hosted by Prague.

Since the beginning of the conflict, France has supplied Ukraine with 18 155 mm Caesar guns with a range of 40 km, truck-mounted anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, armored personnel carriers (APCs), fuel, individual equipment and about 15 TRF1 towed guns of 155 mm.

Paris now intends to supply Kiev with between six and 12 Caesar guns, taken over from an order for Denmark, a source familiar with the matter told AFP. France is also studying the possibility of delivering 20 Bastion armored vehicles to Kiev.

EU member states “will discuss these topics, on some mechanisms” on Friday, during the informal EU summit in Prague, the French president said, adding that he would return with more details in a press conference after the meeting.

“We will continue to support Ukraine financially, humanitarianly and militarily,” he insisted. “This aid will continue to be aid in terms of equipment and training, in line with what we have been doing for several months.” We continue to move forward based on the requests expressed and to coordinate very closely with members of the European Union and with those who are not members of the European Union,” he added, referring to the United Kingdom.

And Germany recently announced that it will deliver new weapons to Ukraine

Germany will deliver “very soon” armored vehicles to Kiev, but at this stage not the battle tanks requested by Ukraine, Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced on Thursday, reports AFP.

“It is encouraging to see the successes that Ukraine has achieved in recent days, especially thanks to German weapons,” the minister declared in front of the press.

The counteroffensive carried out by Kyiv “shows how important it is to quickly provide Ukraine with other military equipment”, added Christine Lambrecht.

It announced the dispatch of two more Mars-II multiple rocket launchers and 200 missiles. Ukraine will also receive 50 Dingo all-terrain vehicles.

On the other hand, Germany does not intend at this stage to deliver Leopard-2 battle tanks, which Ukraine insistently requested.

Berlin continues to bet on a circular delivery system, through which Greece will receive German Marder-type armored vehicles, and these requested by Kyiv, and Athens will instead deliver older armored vehicles to Ukraine “very soon”, explained Lambrecht.

“It is important for me to make it clear that these deliveries will not weaken the Bundeswehr (German army),” she stressed.

“We are still able to ensure the defense of the Alliance (NATO) and the country, and it is important to me that our allies on the eastern flank can count on us to keep our promises,” she added.

The government led by Olaf Scholz has been criticized in recent days, both in Kyiv and in Berlin, for its reluctance to deliver battle tanks, likely to help make the difference in the Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.

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