On March 22, 2024, France and Germany finalized an agreement to jointly produce military equipment in Ukraine. This pact was confirmed during discussions in Berlin between Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, and Boris Pistorius, the German Minister of Defense. The collaboration marks the establishment of the inaugural Franco-German armaments production facility on Ukrainian territory.
The venture involves KNDS, a consortium of Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and France’s Nexter, with plans to first manufacture spare parts and ammunition. Eventually, the operation is set to expand to the production of complete weapon systems. This initiative aims to enhance the maintenance of military gear previously supplied by KNDS and damaged during conflict, focusing on items such as Leopard tanks and Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers from KMW, alongside Nexter’s Caesar cannons.
The specifics regarding the timeline for the new subsidiary’s launch remain uncertain due to security considerations, though it is hinted to be within 2024.
