LOC13:13
10:13 GMT
PARIS, April 26 (KUNA) -- French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu indicated on Friday that the European intervention force might be formed by 2025.
In an interview aired by France 2 television channel, the minister said the 5,000-strong response squad which would be involved in the evacuation of French citizens from hostile regions might be ready for operation by the next year.
He re-affirmed the French-European approach to "be independent militarily" from the US, revealing Paris' desire to produce a French-German combat tank by 2040.
French President Emmanuel Macron, yesterday, called upon the European Union to embark on full-scale armament in view that the European continent has been under siege, as he said, warning that the Europeans have been slow and not sufficiently ambitious in this regard.
He indicated the desire to be less dependent on the US at the military level and enhance Europe's self potentials vis a vis Russia. (end)
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