Ukraine and France ink deal for jets and missile defenses, Paris says
LONDON -- French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent for the provision of French fighter jets and air defense systems for Kyiv in a meeting at a military air base near Paris on Monday.
The Elysee Palace -- the French president's office -- said in a post to social media that the two leaders signed a letter of intent regarding Ukraine's acquisition of Rafale fighter jets and SAMP/T air defense.
In a post to social media, Zelenskyy described the meeting as "a special moment, truly historic for both nations."
"This document gives our country the opportunity to purchase military equipment from the French defense industrial and technological base, including 100 Rafale F4 aircraft by 2035 for Ukraine's combat aviation, SAMP-T air defense systems, radars for air defense systems, air-to-air missiles and aerial bombs," the president said.
"Also, joint projects between our defense industries will begin this year: we will jointly produce interceptor drones, work on the development of critical technologies and components that can be integrated into Ukrainian drones," Zelenskyy added.
Macron told journalists during a joint press conference with Zelenskyy that Paris and Kyiv are creating the security guarantees necessary for any potential future peace agreement with Russia.
A strong Ukrainian army, he argued, would be vital for guaranteeing Ukraine's security in the long-term.
"For a peace agreement, which we hope will be signed as soon as possible, to be robust and lasting, Ukraine must have an army capable of deterring any new incursions", Macron said.
Last month, Ukraine signed a similar declaration of intent with Sweden for Stockholm to supply 150 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine.
On Monday, Macron told reporters that the Rafales and other foreign-supplied aircraft would help protect Ukraine's airspace, but indicated that the first planes will not arrive in Ukraine for a number of years.
When asked, Macron did not provide concrete details about how the purchase of so many aircraft would be financed and indicated that the first weaponry supplied under the new agreement will be delivered within the next three years.
ABC News' Tom Soufi Burridge contributed to this report.
