Photo: EPA
Ukraine will receive French Rafale multirole fighter jets in 2028–2029, French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a joint press conference following the Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris.
Macron also said France had granted Ukraine production licenses for several key defense systems, including:
- Aster-30 surface-to-air missiles for SAMP/T air defense systems;
- AASM Hammer precision-guided bombs;
- SCALP long-range cruise missiles.
According to the French president, the measures are part of a long-term strategy to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities while expanding joint defense manufacturing between Ukraine and its European partners.
Macron added that allies are also working on a future European integrated missile defense system to complement existing SAMP/T and Patriot air defense networks, with Ukraine expected to play an important role in its development and production.
The announcement came during a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the Paris summit.
Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy said that advancing European missile defense and presenting Ukraine's own anti-ballistic defense program would be among the summit's top priorities.
One of the meeting's key outcomes was the launch of the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Coalition, which aims to coordinate the development, production, and integration of next-generation missile defense systems across Europe.
Against that backdrop, France's commitment to supply Rafale fighter jets and authorize domestic production of advanced missiles and precision-guided weapons forms part of a broader long-term effort to reinforce Ukraine's military capabilities and deepen European defense-industrial cooperation.
