Paris [France], February 28: France is seeking access to Ukraine's mineral resources for military use, joining the United States in pursuing valuable raw materials, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Thursday.
Lecornu told France Info radio that talks with Ukraine on securing supplies for the French defence industry have been under way since October.
"Our defence industry will need a number of very critical raw materials in our own weapons systems, and not just for the next year, but for the next 30 or 40 years," Lecornu said.
The minister said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a number of proposals, not only to the United States, but also to France.
During a recent visit to Paris, Zelensky presented the issue of natural resources as part of his long-term strategic vision for Ukraine. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Zelensky will sign"a very big agreement" on Ukraine's mineral wealth when he visits the White House on Friday.
The European Union had launched a strategic raw materials partnership with Kiev in 2021 - before Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine began. However, this partnership does not entail any obligations for Ukraine or preferential treatment for the EU. Details of the deal Trump and Zelensky are to sign have not been disclosed, and it is unclear whether Washington is offering concrete security guarantees in exchange for the untapped mineral riches.
France proposes weapons depots for Kiev Lecornu also suggested that weapons depots could be set up in Europe, saying the sites could be used to supply the country after a ceasefire in the event a new crisis erupts.
"I would like to see weapons depots set up in Europe, perhaps paid for by the Europeans for Ukraine," the minister told France Info. These depots could serve as a security guarantee and "a kind of deterrent" for Russia. Because "the moment Russian weapons fall silent, they will have stocks in Russia that will continue to grow rapidly," said the minister.
Source: Qatar Tribune