France will deliver hundreds of armored vehicles to Ukraine, defense minister says

PARIS (AP) — French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu said France is going to deliver “hundreds” of armored vehicles by the beginning of next year to Ukraine. In an interview with the French newspaper La Tribune’s Sunday edition, Lecornu said the Ukrainian army needs armored personnel carriers that are “absolutely key for troop mobility.” France is currently replacing its old VAB armored personnel carriers that started being used in 1979 with a new generation of armored vehicles. Lecornu said that “this old equipment, still operational, is going directly to Ukraine in large quantities” in 2024 and early 2025.