French President Emmanuel Macron announced this Tuesday, on the first day of the NATO summit, that France will supply long-range Scalp missiles to Ukraine, a decision already criticized by the Kremlin, which has threatened to take “countermeasures”. .
“We have decided to deliver new missiles with which to attack Ukraine deeper.” Macron said upon arrival at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, without saying how many will be sent to Kiev.
“What is important for us today is to send a message of support to Ukraine, of NATO unity and determination that Russia cannot and must not win this war,” he added.
The ‘Storm Shadow’ cruise missile, jointly developed by the UK and France and named ‘Scalp’ by the French military, is an air-launched missile with a range of more than 250 kilometers, more than any other weapon used by Western countries delivered to Kiev.
With their long range, these missiles can reach areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces.
In May, the UK was the first country to announce it would send long-range missiles to Ukraine. A few days later, Russia claimed to have intercepted a ‘Storm Shadow’ in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.
“[Os mísseis ‘Scalp’] will be delivered preserving the clarity and coherence of our doctrine, i.e. to enable Ukraine to defend its territory,” Macron explained, implicitly ruling out any use to attack Russia.
According to the specialist magazine Défense et Sécurité Internationale, France has “fewer than 400” of these missiles.
The French president also “welcomed” the agreement reached with Turkey to finalize Sweden’s accession to NATO.
“Serious consequences for Ukraine,” says the Kremlin
In Moscow, the Russian presidency, through Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, believed that sending French missiles to Kiev is “a mistake” that will force Russia to take “countermeasures” in the conflict with Ukraine.
“From our point of view, this is a wrong decision with serious consequences for Ukraine, because, of course, it will force us to take countermeasures,” Peskov told reporters.
The NATO summit, which started today in Lithuania, is aimed at supporting Ukraine against the Russian invasion and Sweden’s entry into the Atlantic Alliance, as well as strengthening the allies’ military capabilities against future threats.
Strengthening the Alliance’s deterrence and defense capabilities is one of the key themes of the summit, which brings together the 31 current members to consider a review of the military organizational model and new regional plans – a plan whose relevance was reinforced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February last year.
The summit will also serve to discuss the strengthening of investment by the Allies, to respond to this plan and to address Ukraine’s needs in its war effort.
Source: DN
