Live – War in Ukraine: France reaffirms that the use of its missiles on Russian soil remains an “option”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed Monday that the use of French missiles by Ukrainian forces on Russian soil remained “an option.” “You heard President (Emmanuel) Macron in Meseberg (Germany) on May 25, where we openly said that it was an option that we were considering, if it was necessary to authorize strikes on targets from which the Russians are attacking Ukrainian territory,” he said, in English, upon his arrival in Brussels for a meeting of foreign ministers.

“So, nothing new under the sun,” he added. France has supplied medium-range Scalp-type surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine, but has always refused to indicate how many had been delivered and whether they had been used by Ukrainian forces. Asked in Brussels last month about possible Scalp missile strikes on Russian soil, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu refused to comment.