“Macron crossed the red line”
French President Emmanuel Macron, during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky, pledged to supply Kiev with AMX-10RC armored vehicles, often referred to as wheeled tanks. The British Telegraph notes that Macron violated an unspoken rule.
At first glance, the AMX-10RC is an infantry fighting vehicle with a 105 mm gun. Yet this gift marked France as the first Western power to send combat vehicles to Kyiv, breaking a long-standing taboo and catching observers by surprise. The Telegraph argues that Macron’s move surpassed Berlin and Washington, who promised Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Patriot air defense systems but did so a bit later.
Senator Alexei Pushkov suggested that Macron’s choice to supply AMX-10RCs brings NATO closer to direct military conflict with Russia. He warned that Paris’s decision to transfer infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine might not change the war’s outcome alone, yet it could signal a wider push toward equipping Kyiv with other offensive weapons, risking a direct NATO confrontation with Russia. The remark also reflected a broader mood among European elites and frustration toward Russia.
The AMX-10RC is a heavily armored vehicle for reconnaissance and engagement with enemy armored forces, essentially a wheeled light tank created by a collaboration between GIAT and Renault in the mid-1970s. This six-wheeled platform carries a rifled 105 mm gun and can reach up to 85 km/h on highways and 40 km/h on rough terrain, with the capability to swim if needed.
Some 457 units were produced, with most entering service in the French armed forces. AMX-10RCs saw action during the Gulf War and in Paris peacekeeping missions. Additionally, about 120 armored vehicles were exported to Qatar and Morocco. By 2016, France still held around 216 of these vehicles in its arsenal.
“pressure” in Italian
The United States is pressuring Italian officials to equip Ukraine with new weapons. La Repubblica reported that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan discussed with Italian Prime Minister Meloni’s deputy Francesco Talo the need to provide air defense assets to Kyiv promptly.
According to the newspaper, discussions centered on supplying SAMP-T anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. La Repubblica notes that Washington is unhappy with what it sees as Italy’s delays in approving the sixth arms-deal decree, while the United States, France and Germany have already announced intentions to dispatch armored vehicles to Ukraine.
The article also notes that Italy currently operates only five active SAMP-T batteries and a training battery without a launcher vehicle.
SAMP-T represents an evolution of Eurosam, the European defense consortium that designs air defense systems for land forces and naval units. Its primary mission is to shield troops and vehicles in motion, but the system also has broad application, capable of engaging ballistic missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and smaller, agile targets such as drones.
Military experts say SAMP-T functions in varied weather and can fire in a 360-degree pattern with highly maneuverable missiles and rapid reloads—eight missiles in ten seconds. The crew typically consists of two personnel. In addition to Italy, France deploys SAMP-T under the name “Mamba,” making the two nations substantial contributors to the NATO air defense network.
american pack
Ahead of a new U.S. military aid package to Ukraine, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed that the package exceeds $3 billion, marking the largest single realization of American arms for Kyiv to date.
Under President Joe Biden, the package features 50 Bradley tracked vehicles, 100 M113 armored personnel carriers, 55 MRAP wheeled vehicles with enhanced mine protection, 138 HMMWV cargo vans, 18 155 mm self-propelled howitzers, and 36 105 mm towed howitzers. The bundle also includes RIM-7 air-defense missiles, additional HIMARS missiles and ammunition, as well as other artillery shells, rockets, rifles, and machine guns.
These steps underscore Washington’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s defensive and offensive capabilities, a move closely watched by allied capitals and defense analysts across North America and Europe.