France makes ‘historic’ accord to sell Ukraine 100 warplanes

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron have signed a letter of intent for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets and other air defence hardware. Photo / Sarah Meyssonnier, AFP

France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed an accord for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 fighter jets and other hardware, including drones, in a boost for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion.

Delivery of the Rafale fighter jets – the crown jewel of French combat aviation – is only foreseen under the letter of intent over a 10-year horizon, although the production of drones and interceptors would start by the end of this year, Macron said.

The announcement, made as Zelenskyy visited Paris, came with the Ukrainian leader in need of support after setbacks over the past week because of a corruption scandal at home, Russian forces closing in on the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and continued aerial attacks by Moscow.

Macron acknowledged that this was currently a “difficult moment” in the conflict, which was sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Russia alone is making the choice to continue this war and to intensify it,” he told reporters alongside Zelenskyy, accusing Russia of having an “addiction for war”.

But the French leader said he hoped “peace will be obtained before 2027” when his own mandate expires, adding that there needed to be then a “regeneration” of the Ukrainian army so that it is “capable of dissuading any new incursion” by Russia.

The letter of intent inked by the two leaders at France’s Villacoublay air base sets out possible future contracts for Ukraine to acquire 100 Rafale fighter jets “with their associated weapons”, the French presidency said.

It also lays out deals for the new generation SAMP-T air defence systems which are under development, radar systems and the drones.

“It is a historic agreement,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian President has already signed a letter of intent to acquire 100 to 150 Swedish Gripen fighter jets.

France has delivered Mirage fighter jets to Kyiv but this is the first time Rafale planes have been promised.

Financial details were not disclosed but France intends to dip into its own budget contribution and use joint EU borrowing mechanisms, despite the risk of potential German resistance, to help Kyiv finance the deal.

Ukraine on backfoot

The visit by Zelenskyy to France was his ninth since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It comes before what analysts predict will be a tough winter for Kyiv as Moscow presses on the battlefield.

Russian strikes killed three people in a city in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, its military administration chief said. Seven people were killed after Russia struck apartment blocks across the capital Kyiv last week.

The Russian army seized three more villages across eastern Ukraine, the defence ministry in Moscow said, the latest in its grinding advance.

Efforts by US President Donald Trump to force a peace deal have stalled as Moscow has rejected calls for a ceasefire and refused to drop hardline territorial demands.

With the delivery of the Rafale jets only expected after the war, Macron said: “There will be no robust, lasting peace if there is not a strong Ukrainian army.”

‘Efforts’ against corruption

Zelenskyy at the weekend announced an overhaul of state-owned energy companies after a corruption scandal, ordering two ministers to resign and sanctioning a former business partner who was named as its mastermind.

Macron said Ukraine’s path to join the European Union required “demanding and deep efforts and reforms notably on governance and fight against corruption”, adding he had “confidence” in Ukrainians and Zelenskyy to do this.

Pressed during the news conference over whether enough had been done to fight against corruption, Zelenskyy said: “It is not enough. We will continue the appropriate actions.”

Macron and Zelenskyy also visited the headquarters of a Ukraine multinational force that France and Britain are preparing in the event an international force is deployed in Ukraine after any ceasefire.

The headquarters, at Mont Valerien, west of Paris, is where countries from the “coalition of the willing” organised by France and Britain have sent officers to prepare the force.

France says that 34 countries and Ukraine have already offered to take part.

-Agence France-Presse