France, Greece, and Cyprus veto Turkish drone acquisition for Ukrainian army

Plans were in place for the Ukrainian army to acquire Bayraktar TB2 drones utilizing funds from the EU's "Peace Fund". This was a part of a larger procurement of defense products from Turkey geared towards addressing Ukraine's immediate necessities, as identified by the EU.

The French service Opex360 reported that the drone acquisition plan was obstructed by three countries. During the Political and Security Committee meeting of the European Union, France, Greece, and Cyprus exercised their veto. The countries contended that EU funds should exclusively facilitate the purchase of defense products, such as ammunition and military equipment, made in EU nations.

A French diplomat, speaking with Politico, highlighted the matter as a question of "European identity" and a more judicious and efficient usage of EU funds.

The Cypriot edition of the Greek newspaper "Kathimerini" noted, "This isn't the first time these three countries have taken a unified stance on similar matters."

An anonymous diplomat quoted in the report opined, "Typically, Greece advocates for an independent, European defense and policy focused on developing the European defense industry."

The Greek diplomat underscored that the veto carries "both geopolitical and economic implications". However, he emphasized in his conversation with the newspaper, "We do not want our taxpayers' money to be propelling the Turkish defense industry."

Sources: Opex360, "Kathimerini"