(Bloomberg) -- French and Ukrainian defense groups plan to create partnerships to bolster Kyiv’s war effort, notably to provide drones and spare parts, France’s defence minister, Sebastien Lecornu, told RMC radio. 

“I am announcing this morning that French companies will set up partnerships” to produce equipment in Ukraine, he said on Friday. He cited French drone maker Delair and Franco-German battle tank manufacturer KNDS.

Lecornu said firms would look into the joint production of ammunition, though that would take more time. He also confirmed that France had ordered 200 surface-to-air Aster missiles produced by MBDA, some of which would be sent to Ukraine.

Ukraine has expressed concerns that, with European allies struggling to meet commitments to supply it with military equipment and US funding tied up in a domestic political dispute, Russian troops may break through their defenses by summer. Kyiv’s allies are pursuing a plan to buy 800,000 rounds of ammunition from non-European countries that can start being delivered in the coming weeks.

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