Ukraine will receive around 100 French-made Rafale F4 fighter jets within the next ten years under a major deal signed on November 17.
The deal that also includes the purchase of drones, and advanced air defence systems is aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian attacks. "This document gives our country the opportunity to purchase military equipment from the French defense industrial and technological base, including 100 Rafale F4 aircraft by 2035 for Ukraine's combat aviation, SAMP-T air defense systems, radars for air defense systems, air-to-air missiles and aerial bombs," Ukrainain President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a social media post.
Zelenskiy said the document represented "a historic deal" at a joint news conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, at the Élysée presidential palace. The Ukrainain leader said joint programs in defence cooperation will being this year, adding that the two countries will jointly produce interceptor drones, as well as work on the development of critical technologies and components that can be integrated into Ukrainian drones.
In turn, Emmanuel Macron told journalists that France and Ukraine were creating the security guarantees required for any potential future peace agreement with Russia. "For a peace agreement, which we hope will be signed as soon as possible, to be robust and lasting, Ukraine must have an army capable of deterring any new incursions", Macron stressed.
The key defence deal with France comes a month after Ukraine signed a declaration of intent with Sweden for the supply of 150 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets to Kyiv.
