Key Points:
- France and Australia have signed a partnership to supply ammunition to Ukraine.
- The meeting comes amid a thawing of relations between Australia and France.
- Several thousand 155-millimetre shells will be manufactured for Ukraine.
Australia will work with France to produce ammunition for Ukraine's war effort, in the latest sign relations between the two countries are recovering.
But an expert is warning the deal, which will see several thousand rounds of 155-millimetre ammunition sent to the front, is a drop in the ocean as Ukraine defends itself from Russian aggression.
Appearing alongside their French counterparts in Paris on Monday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the ammunition will be produced as part of a "growing and deepening" relationship between the two countries.
The visit comes six months after, as he attempted to heal a rift sparked by .
"This forms part of the ongoing level of support that both France and Australia is providing Ukraine to make sure that Ukraine is able to stay in this conflict, and be able to see it concluded on its own terms," Mr Marles said.
"It is a multi-million dollar project and it represents, a novel cooperation between Australian and French defence industry, and we're really proud today to be able to make that announcement."
French Minister for Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu said several thousand shells will be manufactured, with Australia supplying the gunpowder and French firm Nexter producing the ammunition.
"This partnership will allow us over time, over the coming weeks and months, to assist Ukraine," Mr Lecornu said.
Sam Roggeveen, Lowy Institute director of international security, played down the significance of the development, stressing ministers travelling for international meetings "always like to have something new to announce".
"We're talking about several thousand rounds of ammunition being manufactured ... [when the] Ukrainian military uses several thousand rounds of ammunition in a day in the current war," he told SBS News.
"So on the face of it, this doesn't look like a major effort. But I'm sure as far as the Ukrainians are concerned, every little bit helps."
'Broom through the relationship'
Labor has made restoring ties a priority since the May 2022 federal election, with Mr Albanese jetting to Paris a month after taking office to promise a relationship built on "confidence, respect and honesty".
And Mr Roggeveen said this week's visit did confirm the friendship had been "reset" since reaching a low point under the former Coalition government.
"A change of leadership allowed for a new broom to be put through the relationship, and for the submarine decision to be put behind us, behind both countries," he said.
Mr Marles also appeared eager to claim an improvement in relations, saying the meeting was conducted on a "first name basis, with a high degree of warmth".
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna alluded to past tensions.
"It is the first time that our consultations have taken place at this level - in the so-called 2+2 format - since an incident I shall not come back to," she said.
Anthony Albanese made Paris one of his first international stops as he attempted to heal the rift. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
Paris claimed it was blindsided by the deal, US President Joe Biden claiming he believed it had been informed "long before" and conceding the way the announcement had been handled was "clumsy".
in November 2021.
“I don’t think, I know," he replied.
Mr Morrison flatly rejected suggestions he had been dishonest, saying President Macron was "clearly aware" that Canberra was considering other options.
“We decided in Australia’s interests not to go ahead with the [Naval Group] contract,” he said in November 2021.
"At the end of the day, I am going to take the tough decisions to ensure Australia has the best defence capability.”
With AAP.
