Ukraine commits to buying 100 Dassault Aviation-produced Rafale fighter jets
The letter of intent signed during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to Paris also includes plans to buy air defense systems, radars and drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy secured a preliminary deal with France to buy as many as 100 Dassault Aviation SA-produced Rafale fighter jets as the country increasingly turns to European providers to help bolster its air defenses.
The letter of intent signed during Zelenskiy’s trip to Paris on Monday also includes plans to buy air defense systems, radars and drones. Shares in Dassault surged as much as 8% in Paris.
“Today is a special moment, really a historical one for both nations: France and Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said in a social media post.
The first delivery of the Rafale jets will depend on how quickly Ukrainian pilots can be trained as well as on the development of the necessary infrastructure, a person familiar with the plans said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive issues.
Russia has significantly stepped up air strikes across Ukraine this year with missiles, drones and glide bombs, killing civilians and causing rolling blackouts ahead of winter. Zelenskiy has repeatedly said that Kyiv’s priority is to obtain more air-defenses from allies, including Patriot systems and fighter jets to repel attacks.
Monday’s agreement spans a decade, with each project subject to individual contracts. The French presidency said financing will depend on the contracts, with some coming from the European Union’s €150 billion ($176 billion) Security Action for Europe loan fund, or SAFE, and other resources depending on ongoing talks over using frozen Russian assets.
The deal comes less than a month after Ukraine signed a letter of intent with Sweden for the supply of as many as 150 Saab fighter jets to Kyiv.
European allies have increasingly taken on the bulk of responsibility for financing aid for Kyiv since the administration of President Donald Trump halted support and said other western allies must pay for the equipment supplied by the US.
Ukraine relies on funding from international donors to maintain its financing. The EU is struggling to finalize a plan to tap immobilized Russian central bank assets to maintain funding flows for the country’s defense against Russia’s war, now well into its fourth year.
Kyiv will aim to deploy funds from a Group of Seven mechanism, which provides resources backed by future revenue generated by Russian assets, to finance the purchase of French hardware, Zelenskiy said in Paris.
Ukraine has also received F-16 fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin Corp. and supplied by NATO nations including Denmark and the Netherlands. The US State Department approved F-16 training and services for Ukraine worth up to $350 million in May.
In comments to RTL radio on the sidelines of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskiy praised France’s version of SAMP/T as “one of the greatest” air defense systems in the world. Kyiv will receive eight such systems, he said, but declined to provide a delivery schedule.
Zelenskiy also said Ukraine and France had agreed to work together on joint industrial projects to produce interceptor drones and develop the required technology.
