French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said this in an interview with France Inter, responding to a question about a possible reduction in the sharing of U.S. intelligence and restrictions on Starlink, Ukrinform reports.
“Let me remind you that two-thirds of the intelligence provided to Ukraine today comes from Europeans, including France,” Barrot said.
According to him, Europe has long been providing the bulk of support for Ukraine and putting pressure on Russia.
At the same time, when directly asked whether the United States had reduced or stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, the minister neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, he again emphasized the role of Europeans and commented on reports of restrictions on satellite communications.
“There is information in the public domain that appears to indicate a reduction in Starlink’s operating speed,” Barrot said.
He also recalled comments by Elon Musk, who attributed responsibility for restrictions on Starshield, the military version of the satellite network, to the U.S. federal government.
The journalist also asked the minister whether he shared President Volodymyr Zelensky’s assessment that he felt betrayed by Donald Trump. Barrot did not give a direct answer, saying that the Ukrainian President speaks openly about the actions of allies and had previously also criticized Europeans.
“This should not be taken out of context. Volodymyr Zelensky has also expressed his desire to continue cooperating with the United States,” the French Foreign Minister said.
Barrot warned that the Kremlin is using and amplifying events to demoralize Ukrainians and weaken support for Ukraine from its partners.
“We are waging a war on the battlefield, but also in people’s minds,” he stressed.
Asked whether France and Europe could compensate for possible disruptions in U.S. support, Barrot pointed to joint efforts with Ukraine, particularly in air defense.
“We are working, in particular, to protect Ukrainian skies, on joint projects to develop missiles for intercepting missiles as quickly as possible – missiles that are significantly cheaper and much faster to produce than those available so far,” he said.
Read also: Starshield services for Ukraine’s Defense Forces resume – sourceAs reported by Ukrinform, overnight on October 14, SpaceX imposed restrictions without prior notice to the Ukrainian military on the operation of Starlink terminals while in motion. According to sources in the Ministry of Defense, Starshield’s operation while in motion resumed on October 15, as confirmed by reports from Ukrainian Defense Forces units. Efforts to determine the reasons and circumstances behind the restrictions are ongoing with partners.
Photo: France Diplomatie
