APE, a French government agency, and SFPIM, a Belgian company providing capital and know-how for international investments, agreed to acquire a 20% stake in John Cockerill, a mechanical engineering group. Financial terms were not disclosed. "Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has reminded us that, as Europeans, we must deploy a genuine defense strategy. This means, in particular, supporting our defense industry to consolidate its activity and expertise in Europe. Belgium’s investment in John Cockerill Defense, to enable it to acquire Arquus, is in line with this vision: to create a solid, key European player in land-based defense," Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister.