Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Paris to attend the July 14 parade and a coalition partner meeting led to the announcement of plans to order military equipment and deepen industrial cooperation between Ukraine and France.
On July 13, the presidential administrations of France and Ukraine announced the signing of a roadmap that specifically includes the acquisition of 16 Rafale fighter jets and four SAMP/T NG anti-aircraft missile systems for the Ukrainian Air Force, as well as the organization of licensed armament production.
A joint statement from Paris and Kyiv assigned “high priority” to capacity-building projects that strengthen Ukraine’s combat aviation, as well as its air and missile defense systems. As part of its efforts to expand its air capabilities, Ukraine will order an initial batch of 16 Rafale fighter jets; this confirms the provisions of the letter of intent signed in November 2025, which envisaged the purchase of “up to 100 Rafale aircraft.” Financing for the deliveries will be provided through the European Union credit support mechanism for Ukraine (totaling €90 billion for the period 2026-2027; the decision was approved by the European Council in December 2025).
It is not yet clear whether the first aircraft will come from the French Aerospace Forces fleet. The official statement states that “the first four Rafale fighter jets will be delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the completion of the pilot and mechanic training cycle,” which is expected to begin “immediately” by the end of this year.
In any case, given Dassault Aviation’s heavy workload and the desire to ensure rapid delivery of equipment to the Ukrainian Air Force, the option of aircraft from the French Aerospace Force cannot be ruled out. In addition to the need for crew training, this transfer will have a significant impact on the French Air Force, whose fighter fleet could be significantly reduced. This is particularly important considering that the aircraft will be equipped with Mica, Meteor, and AASM missiles, as well as laser-guided missiles (designed for use against drones); the scope of these supplies will be the subject of “subsequent bilateral technical consultations.”
Ukraine already possesses a small number of Mirage 2000-5 fighters manufactured by Dassault Aviation; Emmanuel Macron announced the decision to transfer them to Ukraine in June 2024. The first deliveries took place in February 2025. Another point of the joint declaration concerned the decision to acquire four SAMP/T NG air defense systems; their purchase will also be financed by the European Credit Fund. To ensure rapid delivery without waiting for the completion of production of the SAMP/T NG systems, France will transfer two SAMP/T systems to Ukraine, which will be returned upon receipt of the new units. This purchase will be accompanied by an order for five GM400 radars and one GF300 radar from Thales, as well as a Kronos radar developed by Leonardo.
The United Kingdom is also contributing to Ukraine’s rearmament, allocating €300 million to Ukraine for the purchase of 16 Gripen E fighter jets by 2029. According to the now former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, London will work with Sweden to transfer the aircraft to Ukraine to defend it from Russian attacks. London also stated that this investment will support approximately 5,000 jobs at over 50 British companies involved in the Gripen program. In June, Swedish defense equipment manufacturer Saab signed a contract to supply Ukraine with 16 Gripen E fighter jets worth approximately €2.18 billion.
On July 15, the UK Ministry of Defense announced the delivery to Ukraine of the first batch of 150 105 mm and 155 mm caliber artillery barrels, manufactured by Sheffield Forgemasters under a £61 million contract. These are the first forged barrels produced in the UK in nearly twenty years. The first four barrels were sent as prototypes to test Ukrainian production processes. Production is currently at eight units per month.
And more military deliveries from Germany. The Ukrainian Defense Forces have received ammunition produced at the new Rheinmetall Werk Niedersachsen plant in Germany for the first time. These are the latest-generation artillery shells, designated RH1412. They are compatible with various 155 mm artillery systems and offer a longer range and demonstrate high destructive effectiveness on targets. An unspecified NATO country has placed an order for 155 mm artillery ammunition and propellant charges from Rheinmetall for Ukraine. The order, valued at several tens of millions of euros, is believed to involve several thousand shells.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
