France makes ‘historic’ accord to sell Ukraine 100 warplanes

PARIS: France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday 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 Zelensky visited Paris, came with the Ukrainian leader in need of support after setbacks over the last week due to 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 Zelensky, 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.