France is standing in the way of Ukraine's efforts to purchase British Storm Shadow missiles, reports have claimed.
Some 11 EU nations proposed loosening the rules on a massive €90billion (£78billion) loan package that would allow Ukraine to buy British weapons.
However, France argued the money should stay within the bloc to support European defence manufacturers, according to The Telegraph.
France has been pushing hard to reduce the EU's reliance on outside allies – particularly the United States – following tensions with Donald Trump over his Greenland comments.
A diplomatic source described France as an "obvious" opponent to the proposals.
Ukrainian defence officials believe they will require around €24billion worth of military kit this year that can't be sourced from within the EU.
The bulk of that figure covers American-made Patriot air defence systems and PAC-3 interceptor missiles.
However, European countries are also scrambling to fill a gap in long-range missiles, including from Britain's Storm Shadow fleet.
France is leading the opposition against Ukraine's efforts to purchase British Storm Shadow missiles
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European officials backing the coalition see the British cruise missile as a key solution to plug that shortfall.
Meanwhile, France remains committed to keeping funds within EU borders.
Opponents argue this approach could seriously hamper Ukraine's ability to protect itself, especially when it comes to defending against Russian aerial attacks.
It works on a four-tier system. First, Ukraine would look to its own defence industry, then turn to EU manufacturers.
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British Storm Shadow missiles are a long-range option for Ukraine
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The UK sits on the third level, with the United States coming in last on the fourth tier.
The coalition is pushing to make that third tier much more accessible – not just for Britain, but also for Canada and other nations with defence agreements with Brussels.
"We're trying to do two things," a diplomatic source told The Telegraph. "One, make sure it's open enough for the UK to comfortably be there.
"Two, make sure the administrative burden on Ukrainians to reach that layer of the cascade is not so hard."
The Storm Shadow missiles could be extremely effective for Ukraine
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The Baltic and Nordic states are leading the charge, alongside Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
Another eight countries, including Germany, have expressed support for treating Britain more favourably, though they haven't formally signed up to the coalition yet.
One big reason the UK is seen as such an attractive partner is its leadership of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" – the group planning to put boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of any future peace deal.
With British soldiers set to serve alongside European troops, and American forces not expected to join, channelling EU funds towards UK defence is viewed as a smart way to strengthen the broader security mission.
British diplomats are already in discussions with coalition representatives, but they are being encouraged to step up their engagement with the European Commission and European Parliament, where France wields considerable influence on security committees.