French auto giant Renault said Sunday that the government had asked it to look at making drones in Ukraine, suggesting, however, it had not yet made a decision.
“The defense ministry has contacted us. Exchanges have been made, but no decision has been made at this stage because we are waiting on project specifics from the ministry,” a Renault spokesperson told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A report by broadcaster Franceinfo had earlier said, without citing sources, that Renault was to open drone production lines “dozens or hundreds of kilometres from the front line.”
Ukraine relies heavily on drones in its fight against Russia’s invading forces. On June 1, it used over 100 drones to strike Russian military aircraft deep inside Russian territory, in an operation called “Spider’s Web.”
The news that Renault is considering building drones in Ukraine came two days after French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that a “big company making French cars” would join up with a French defense manufacturer to develop production lines in Ukraine, “able to produce drones.”
The drones would be used by the Ukrainian military, “but we will also have our own French weapons benefit from constant tactical and operational training in real-world conditions,” Lecornu said Friday.
The minister noted that the Ukrainian military was better at using and developing drones than its French counterpart.
The French government holds a 15% stake in Renault.
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