France discusses mineral extraction for defense industry with Ukraine

This was stated by French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, according to franceinfo.

According to him, France has been working on this issue for several months, starting last fall when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "included the issue of raw materials in his victory plan" during a visit to Paris.

Lecornu claims the Ukrainian president made "a certain number of proposals" not only to the United States but also to France.

"Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team saw that the issue of raw materials could be part of an agreement with us to create stability. So President Trump did not exactly invent this, because the Ukrainians themselves initiated it," the French minister stated.

At the same time, he said these minerals are intended for military production.

"Our defense industry will need key raw materials for its weapons systems not only next year but for the next 30-40 years. Whether we like it or not, economic issues are always tied to military-strategic and security concerns. This is especially true for energy," Lecornu added.

• Zelenskyy confirmed a meeting with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, on Friday, February 28, to sign a framework agreement on natural resources.