France and Ukraine are in discussions about utilizing Ukrainian resources in the defense industry.

Starting from October 2024, Paris and Kyiv are discussing the potential use of Ukrainian minerals in France's defense industry. This was reported by the French Minister of Defense Sébastien Lecornu, as quoted by franceinfo.

According to Lecornu, France began exploring this issue back in 2023 when President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to Paris, included the topic of raw materials in his "victory plan". He specified that the Ukrainian leader proposed cooperation not only with the USA but also with France.

"Zelensky and his team understood that the issue of raw materials could become one of the elements of negotiations to enhance resilience. Therefore, President Trump (Donald Trump, head of the White House – ed.) did not completely invent this, as the Ukrainians themselves raised the issue," the minister noted.

Lecornu emphasized that minerals will be utilized in the production of military equipment. The French defense industry requires a number of key resources that will serve as the foundation for developing weapon systems for the next 30–40 years.

"Whether we like it or not, economic issues are always linked to military-strategic and security matters. This is especially true regarding energy," the French Defense Minister added.