Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron together signed a letter of intent that sets out the groundwork for a Ukrainian buy of up to 100 Dassault Rafale jets, more SAMP/T batteries, guided weapons, and UAVs.
Standing together at Vélizy-Villacoublay Air Base, near Paris, the respective Presidents of Ukraine and France embraced with a hug after signing their names on the printed agreements. The visit to France is Zelenskyy’s ninth since the 2022 full scale invasion of his country by Russian forces.
The headline of the letter of intent is the potential acquisition of up to 100 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft for the Ukrainian Air Force. Also included in this package are relevant weapons for use on the Rafale, likely including more SCALP missiles, AASM Hammer glide bombs, and air to air missiles. Initial deliveries are not expected to arrive until at least 2029, with the full fleet in service by 2035 – presumably with the hope that the present conflict with Russia will have ceased by this point.
🇫🇷 🇺🇦 France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky have signed an accord for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets and other hardware, a boost for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.
➡️ https://t.co/CvmQ0YmFQB pic.twitter.com/v9W0TC6Vym
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 17, 2025
New units of the SAMP/T air defence system will also be procured to bolster Ukraine’s existing batteries, alongside more stocks of the Aster 30 surface to air missile that it utilises. Eight complete systems will be supplied, each comprising six launchers of eight missiles. Ukraine’s small number of in service SAMP/T batteries shot down their first Russian aircraft in March 2025 after proving the system’s effectiveness against various types of incoming missiles over the previous years. However, a short supply of Aster missiles has raised questions over the long term sustainability of the platform.
Together with the previous agreement signed with Sweden, this new deal would in theory see Ukraine’s air force as the first operator of both the Dassault Rafale and Saab Gripen. If full numbers are realised, it would quickly catapult the Ukrainian Air Force to become one of the most well equipped air arms in Europe.
Today marks a significant moment, truly historic for both our nations – France and Ukraine. Together with Emmanuel Macron, we signed a Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Acquisition of Defense Equipment for Ukraine. This document enables Ukraine to procure military… pic.twitter.com/0qzG41IsnP
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2025
It should be noted that as both of these deals act as letters of intent rather than binding contracts, the procurement of either fighter type has yet to be fully guaranteed. It is indeed possible that rather than expressing a desire to operate both the Rafale and Gripen side by side in the long term, Ukraine is simply creating an insurance policy to make sure that it will have the means in the years to come to outfit its air force to deter or counter any further Russian aggression.
On social media, President Zelenskyy said that the signing of the agreement was a significant, historic moment for both Ukraine and France, saying he is “deeply grateful to France, President Emmanuel Macron, and all the French people.”
Grand jour.
Великий день. pic.twitter.com/YwfGV4d7Ii
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 17, 2025
President Macron on social media simply proclaimed the day as a “great day” in both French and Ukrainian. At the signing he told reporters that he intends to put his country’s “industrial and technological excellence at the service of Ukraine and therefore of Europe,” in light of “unacceptable” Russian attacks by a Moscow administration that he says is “addicted to war”.
He added: “Even if peace were signed tomorrow, this would still be essential, because the guarantee of that peace is a strong Ukrainian army able to hold its ground. These capabilities will provide that.”
France has already delivered surplus Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to bolster the Ukrainian Air Force fleet, though there seems to be no intention transferring Rafale aircraft from France’s own inventory to speed up deliveries. Around 150-160 Rafales are operated across the French Air Force and French Navy with production lines still very much open. A major upgrade is set to come with the new Rafale F5 variant in the 2030s, complete with an all new nuclear-armed hypersonic cruise missile to replace the ASMPA-R.
The two nations will additionally enhance their co-operation on counter-UAV technology development, while French manufacturer Delair will supply more units of its DT46 and UX11 reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. The UX11 design, available commercially for mapping purposes, has seen further development in coordination with KNDS to offer a loitering munition variant which has reportedly already been delivered to Ukraine in prior military aid shipments.
