France Pushes Back Against EU Funding for UK Storm Shadow Missiles

France is opposing the use of European Union funds to purchase British Storm Shadow cruise missiles for Ukraine.

According to The Telegraph, a coalition of 11 EU countries has proposed relaxing the rules on a €90 billion EU loan package so that Ukraine could spend part of the money on British-made weapons.

France, however, argues that the funding should be used only within the European Union.

Under the current rules, two-thirds of the loan is allocated for weapons purchases for Ukraine’s armed forces, with priority given to European and Ukrainian defense manufacturers rather than suppliers outside the EU.

Meanwhile, according to assessments by Ukrainian military officials, Ukraine will need military equipment worth around €24 billion in 2025 that cannot be purchased within the European Union.

This primarily concerns U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems with PAC-3 missiles, as well as a shortage of European capabilities in the long-range missile segment.

In this context, European officials from the coalition view the British Storm Shadow cruise missile as a key option for addressing this capability gap.

According to a diplomatic source, France has emerged as an “obvious” opponent of such proposals. Paris is leading efforts to achieve the EU’s strategic autonomy from its allies – above all from the United States – amid deteriorating relations with Donald Trump, including over his statements regarding Greenland.

France insists that any funds provided to Ukraine should support the development of the European Union’s defense industry. This approach has already drawn internal criticism, with opponents arguing that it could significantly limit Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, particularly against Russian air attacks.

The procurement procedure assumes that Ukraine first compiles a list of required weapons, after which the EU assesses Ukraine’s defense industry’s capacity to fulfill the order.

Next, options among manufacturers within EU member states are considered. In this cascading system, the United Kingdom is in the third tier, while the United States is in the fourth and final tier.

The coalition is seeking to relax the rules specifically for the third tier, making it easier for Ukraine to purchase weapons from the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries with defense agreements with Brussels.

These efforts are supported by the Baltic and Nordic countries, as well as Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. A further eight countries, including Germany, have expressed support for a more flexible approach toward the United Kingdom but have not officially joined the coalition.

One reason London is seen as a priority partner is its leading role in the so-called “coalition of the willing,” which is planning a possible deployment of troops to Ukraine as part of a future peace settlement.

As U.S. forces are not expected to take part in this mission, investing EU funds in the British defense sector is viewed as a way to strengthen security in the broader European context.

According to the report, British diplomats are already holding talks with coalition representatives, but they are being encouraged to engage more actively with the European Commission and the European Parliament, where France wields significant influence in key security-related committees.