Renault confirmed on Sunday that it is in talks with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces about setting up drone production facilities in Ukraine. However, the company said no decision has been made yet.
“We have been contacted by the Ministry of the Armed Forces. Discussions have taken place, but no decision has been made at this stage as we await further details,” Renault said in a statement to AFP.
The announcement came after Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Friday that a major French carmaker and a defence company were planning to build drones in Ukraine.
Although no exact location has been revealed, the production sites could be placed within several dozen to a few hundred kilometers from the front lines, according to France Info.
The drones would primarily support Ukrainian forces but also be used by the French military.
“We will use these drones to keep our forces trained in tactics and operations that reflect the real conditions of the conflict,” Lecornu explained.
Drones have become a key part of Ukraine’s defense strategy against Russia. Just last week, Ukraine used drones in a major strike on Russian aircraft. The country plans to deploy more than 4.5 million drones this year.
France, on the other hand, only has a few thousand drones in service and is looking to strengthen its capabilities.
“Ukrainians are ahead of us in drone innovation and in building effective combat strategies,” Lecornu admitted.
