BERGERAC (dpa-AFX) - French President Emmanuel Macron has called on his country's defense industry to permanently increase arms production in view of the war in Ukraine. "We must prepare ourselves permanently for a geopolitical and geostrategic change in which the defense industry will play a growing role," Macron said on Thursday at the laying of the foundation stone for a new explosive powder factory of the company Eurenco in Bergerac. A war economy is needed to be able to supply Ukraine with weapons to repel the Russian attack and also for its own defense. This dynamic has started in Europe and worldwide.

"This war economy also serves us," said Macron. For example, the production of Caesar howitzers supplied to Ukraine has now tripled, which is also driving the export of the guns. Europe cannot give up on Ukraine, it is also about its own security, Macron emphasized. "We Europeans must do more and must do it faster and if the American funding is not there, we Europeans must mobilize and find a new financial solution. We are working on this hand in hand with Germany."/evs/DP/ngu