France sends heavy armour to Ukraine for first time

Emmanuel Macron’s decision reflects a distinct shift towards Kyiv after nine months in which he tried to mediate between the two sides.

The AMX-10 RC, known in France as a light tank, in service with French forces since 1981.

France is to send armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine in a shift by President Emmanuel Macron after months of trying to keep doors open to Russia.

He told President Volodymyr Zelensky in a telephone conversation on Wednesday he would provide an unspecified number of AMX-10 RCs, known in France as a light tank.

“This is the first time that Western-made armoured vehicles are being delivered in support of the Ukrainian army,” a French official said. The vehicles would be sent “very quickly”, the French Defence Ministry added.

France has already supplied the Caesar self-propelled howitzer, prized by Ukraine, and air defence systems, but Mr Macron’s decision reflects a distinct shift towards Kyiv after nine months in which he has limited French materiel aid while attempting to mediate between the two sides.

Mr Zelensky, who has kept open his own dialogue with Mr Macron, thanked the French President for his decision to deliver the new weaponry. He said in a social media post that he and Mr Macron had “agreed on further co-operation to significantly strengthen our air defence and other defence capabilities”.

Mr Macron has in the past used measured language regarding the Russian invasion but he changed tune at the weekend, telling Ukraine in his new year television address: “Your fight to defend your nation is heroic and inspiring. Over the coming year we will be by your side without fail. We will help you to victory. You can count on France and on the European Union.”

Mr Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to the West for heavier fighting vehicles such as the German-made Leopard tank to counter the Russian forces, but the Germans have refused to oblige.

The AMX-10, in service with French forces since 1981, is a highly mobile reconnaissance vehicle and “tank destroyer”. Ukraine has until now had to rely on older Russian or Soviet-bloc fighting vehicles.

Mr Macron’s stance throughout last year pleased neither the Russians nor the US.

Dmitry Rogozin, 59, a former deputy prime minister of Russia and the head of the nation’s space agency, said he had sent Mr Macron a piece of French shrapnel that had been removed from his body after shells from a Caesar howitzer hit his birthday party in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

He asked the French ambassador to Moscow to pass on the shrapnel, extracted from his spine “just a millimetre away from killing me”, to Mr Macron.

“Tell him that no one will escape punishment for war crimes of France, the US, the UK, Germany and other NATO nations in the Donbas,” he said.

Mr Macron has infuriated Poland and the Baltic states, Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, with his calls for concessions to Russia to reach a diplomatic ­resolution.

The Times