France is pushing to tighten exemptions that let Ukraine buy military equipment outside the EU using funds from a 90 billion euro EU loan, aiming to steer more of that money toward European, and particularly French, defense manufacturers. Current rules cap non-EU purchases at 35% of total value, with exemptions available when Europe can't supply the goods.
Ukraine has already secured exemptions for Chinese drone components and U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, which the European Commission approved after acknowledging Europe lacks sufficient production capacity. France wants those exemptions treated as temporary rather than open-ended.
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