Things are not looking good for France and Germany. It was recently discovered that the two countries who are also supporting figures in Ukraine’s war against Russia had exploited a loophole in the EU-wide embargo on arms shipments to Russia implemented in 2014. Germany and France’s exploitation of the loopholes was exposed by The Telegraph in a recent report.

The EU-wide embargo was implemented following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea, which was also met with support from the US. The measure came after the shootdown of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 last July 17, 2014, which was met with outrage from the international community.

At that time, it was expected that French and German weapons and engineering exports would be harmed. However, the sale of 2 French Mistral amphibious assault ships to Russia was not affected due to the principle of non-retroactivity. The deal was worth £1 billion (~US$1.270 billion) and was signed in 2011. Delivery pushed through, much with the EU’s discontent. On the other hand, Germany’s engineering, energy, and computer industries took a hit as the EU banned exports that had anything to do with the development of Russia’s military. This was later watered down, to a ban on items with direct military use.

From left to right: Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Putin,_Macron,_Merkel,_Zelensky_(2019-12-10)_01.jpg
From left to right: Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Kremlin.ruCC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

However, it was discovered that France continued to issue arms export licenses to Russia after the embargo had taken effect. French companies were found to have exported €152 million (~US$163.30 million) worth of military equipment to Russia from 2015 to 2020, with 70 companies involved in the sales. These included an unknown number and types of missiles, aircraft, rockets, bombs, vehicles, explosives, navigation systems, torpedoes, and other military equipment. The French also sent thermal imaging cameras to Russia for some 1,000 tanks and navigation systems for attack helicopters, bomber jets, and fighter jets.

In response, France said that these weapons sold to Russia were under contracts that “concluded before 2014,” which would fall under the principle of non-retroactivity. These contracts have since concluded, according to The Telegraph, with the flow of weapons to Russia “gradually” dying out.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz in the Kremlin in Moscow (Kremlin.ru, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Putin-Scholz_meeting.jpg
President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting with Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz in the Kremlin in Moscow (Kremlin.ruCC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Germany, a country that is heavily criticized by the West at the moment, also landed in hot water. It was found that it exported icebreaker vessels, rifles, and special protection vehicles that were classified as “dual-use equipment” to Russia worth €122 million (~US$131.07 million). Berlin defended their weapons sales to Russia after disclosing that Russia agreed they were only for “civilian use” and that the exports would not have gone through if they knew they would be used for the war.

In fact, Investigate Europe had found out that France and Germany were Europe’s top arms exporters to Russia at €152 million (~US$163 million) and €121.8 million (~US$130.6 million), respectively. Other EU member states have also been found to exploit the loophole after the European Commission discovered that €350 million (~US$375 million) worth of hardware was exported to Russia. These countries include Italy, which sold Lynce all-terrain military vehicles to Russia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, Slovakia, and Spain.

However, France and Germany remain the top weapon exporters to Russia among the identified EU countries, accounting for 78% of the total exported weapons to Russia combined.