France and Italy are close to finalizing the technical details of the delivery of the SAMP/T air defense system to Ukraine, two diplomatic sources said on Thursday. It is still unclear how quickly a final decision will be made.
On Thursday, residents of Ukrainian towns were again targeted by Russian rocket attacks, which killed at least 11 people. The bombardment came a day after Kiev secured a promise from a Western coalition to provide dozens of modern battle tanks to help Ukraine repel a Russian invasion.
Kiev asked its Western allies for more air defense systems, in particular the SAMP/T, known as Mamba, in November.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu will travel to Italy on Friday to meet his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto, and both sides are keen to continue discussions on the SAMP/T.
“We are improving [соглашение] with the Italians,” a French diplomatic source said, adding that a deal was “not too far away.”
The anti-aircraft system, produced by a Franco-Italian consortium, can track dozens of targets and intercept 10 missiles simultaneously and is the only European-made system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
“A political decision has been made. At the moment the technical details are being finalized, as it is a complex system,” the second diplomat said, adding that French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni would make an official statement if a decision was made. socket.
A third source said technical negotiations are ongoing.
Previously, Paris supplied Ukraine with Mistral man-portable anti-aircraft missiles and Crotale short-range anti-aircraft missiles, which are used to intercept low-flying missiles, planes and helicopters.
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