Ukraine signs deal with France to buy 100 warplanes, air defence systems

Ukraine is set to purchase up to 100 Rafale warplanes,drones, air defence systems and other key equipment from France over the next10 years. The move is part of efforts to strengthen the country’slong-term security amid Russia’s continued attacks. The Elysee Palace confirmed the development on Monday whenUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Emmanuel Macron, his Frenchcounterpart, in Paris. Zelenskyy, who signed the document alongside Macron, calledit “a historic deal” at a joint news conference while the French leader praisedit as “a new step forward” in the France-Ukraine relationship. The Rafale is France’s most advanced fighter jet, ahigh-tech, delta-winged, multi-role warplane known for its maneuverability andefficiency. It has been deployed in the country’s foreign militaryoperations including in the Middle East and Africa, and comes at a costestimated at over $100 million per aircraft. “It will be the greatest air defence, one of the greatest inthe world,” Zelensky said. Last month, TheCable reported that Russia had upgraded itsweapons to tip the battlefield balance in Ukraine. Intelligence officials said the upgrades were designed tooverwhelm Ukraine’s existing defence architecture, which has relied heavily onWestern-supplied systems in the nearly four-year war. Ivan Kholostenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Nigeria, toldTheCable the development was a breach of the war’s rules. The Russian embassy did not deny the development butmaintained that the conflict in Ukraine necessitated a shift in combat tactics. There have been talks for several weeks to see how Francecould provide more military support for Ukraine’s air defences, though therehave been questions about how much Macron’s government will be able to do as itgrapples with political and budgetary instability. France, along with the UK, has pushed for the creation of acoalition of about 30 countries willing to send troops and assets to Ukraine oralong its western borders once a peace deal with Russia is agreed. In the meantime, Kholostenko noted that Ukraine is activelybuilding its own defence industry, realising that self-reliance is essentialfor long-term protection.

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