Our Agenda is the Sale of Defensive Weapons to Armenia: French Minister of Armed Forces

The French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu stated during the discussion of the 2024 defense budget in the Senate that this week they will finalize operational and specific measures for cooperation with Armenia’s Ministry of Defense.

In his opening remarks at the Senate Foreign Relations, Defense, and Armed Forces Committee, Chairman Cédric Perrin highlighted the threats facing Armenia as part of the international urgent issues.

In response, Lecornu mentioned that he is closely following the ongoing processes surrounding Armenia and noted a climate of mutual trust with the Armenian Defense Ministry. He recalled that France has launched a defense mission in Armenia and concluded that all these actions are effective based on the information attacks targeting the appointed military attaché.

“The head of state (President Emmanuel Macron) has clearly stated that our agenda is the sale of defensive weapons, as this is the subject of our discussions with Armenia. I will not elaborate further on what types of weapons are being discussed to avoid pressure so that this can become a reality, but some of these weapons can be highly defensive and primarily serve to protect lives and ensure the security of Armenia,” Lecornu continued.

The head of the French Ministry of Defense also mentioned that he will be negotiating with Suren Papikyan soon. “You can see that France is committed to Armenia, and I am personally very involved and affected by everything that is happening. I believe this is also in France's interest,” concluded the French Minister of Armed Forces.