France can produce 78 Caesar self-propelled howitzers for Ukraine by early 2025.

French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu noted in an interview with France Inter that in the coming weeks, Paris will supply six Caesar howitzers to Kyiv, with plans for the delivery of another 72 by early 2025. In total, around 78 howitzers are expected to be produced over the course of just over a year.

"Currently, there are 49 of them [Caesar howitzers – ed.] in Ukraine, which has led to tactical success. Our initiative aims to produce 78 Caesar howitzers in 2024, and we encourage Europeans and other allies to co-finance the effort," Lecornu said in an interview with Le Parisien.

Lecornu noted that Ukraine bought the six howitzers at its own expense. The creation of a French and American-led artillery coalition, aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s capabilities, is to be announced in Paris on Thursday.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov was scheduled to visit the French capital, but his trip was cancelled for security reasons. He will join the planned events online.

Lecornu added that the Caesar long-range self-propelled howitzer, the flagship of French artillery pieces, costs between €3-4 million, a price he believes is "acceptable" to Paris' allies.

Lecornu also said that the delivery of about 40 additional SCALP cruise missiles to Ukraine, promised by President Emmanuel Macron, will begin soon and will take a year, according to a schedule he did not elaborate upon.

Macron had previously announced that he would visit Ukraine in February to finalise a bilateral agreement on "security guarantees".