Frankreich und Italien weigern sich, sich Trumps Ukraine Waffenfonds anzuschließen

***From The Telegraph:***

France and Italy have refused to participate in [Donald Trump’s plan to send US-made weapons to Ukraine](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/07/15/republicans-turn-on-trump-over-10bn-ukraine-weapons-pledge/).

Governments across Europe are pondering whether to take part in the $10bn initiative. It will involve Ukraine’s allies on the continent, along with Canada, buying “top of the range” weapons – including Patriot air defence systems – from Washington before giving them to Kyiv.

But without the release of key details, some countries have yet to make a decision on whether to join the scheme, which was presented by [Mr Trump and Mark Rutte](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/15/frozen-russian-assets-to-pay-for-trump-ukraine-weapons/), the Nato secretary general, in the Oval Office on Monday.

France has told allies it will not join the initiative, according to officials briefed on the discussions.

**Read more:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/16/france-and-italy-refuse-to-join-trumps-ukraine-weapons-fund/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/16/france-and-italy-refuse-to-join-trumps-ukraine-weapons-fund/)

It is rather….I don’t know, humiliating from a European perspective having to line American pockets when Trump could just as easily send the weapons directly.

This is because France is insisting on spending the money on European weapon systems instead. Which makes a lot of sense considering what’s been going on in the US in recent months.

France and Italy have already sent SAMP/T to Ukraine and could provide more.