Key facts
- Ukraine is negotiating with France for licenses to produce SCALP missiles.
- Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed progress in these talks.
- The negotiations involve complex issues of intellectual property and bureaucracy.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron previously discussed the possibility of such licenses.
- Ukraine already uses SCALP/Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of up to 250 km.
Ukraine is in active negotiations with France to secure licenses for the domestic production of SCALP cruise missiles, a move aimed at enhancing its long-range strike capabilities. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that progress is being made in these discussions, which he described as significant following a G7 summit where the possibility of Ukraine producing Western weapons was discussed. The talks, involving both the French government and the missile manufacturer, are navigating complex issues related to intellectual property and bureaucratic procedures.