PARIS: Ukraine has placed an order to buy 100 French-made Rafale fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday, marking one of Kyiv’s largest defence acquisitions since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The deal was unveiled in Paris after Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a long-term security and defence cooperation agreement.
Speaking after signing a declaration of intent with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Velizy-Villacoublay airbase near Paris, Zelenskyy said the agreement would “equip Ukraine’s army” and deepen long-term defence cooperation between the two countries, according to state agency Ukrinform.
At a joint news conference in Paris, Zelenskyy said the 10-year deal would begin in 2026 and form a core part of Ukraine’s future air-power strategy. He added that France would supply an unspecified number of “very powerful” military radars and eight SAMP/T air defence systems, each with six launchers.
“It is very valuable that France is taking such a step to achieve real, guaranteed security in Europe,” he said, noting that he and Macron also held talks with French defence firms on expanding technological cooperation.
Rail Agreement and Wider Cooperation
Zelenskyy also announced a separate agreement between Ukrainian state rail operator Ukrzaliznytsia and French manufacturer Alstom to buy 55 new electric locomotives, aimed at strengthening wartime logistics and transport resilience.
He thanked Macron for a new defence package currently being prepared by France, saying only that it “also strengthens Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy arrived in France after a visit to Athens, where Ukraine and Greece discussed winter LNG supplies from the US. He is expected to travel to Spain on Tuesday as part of a broader European diplomatic push.
