President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of France Emmanuel Macron have signed a Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Acquisition of Defense Equipment for Ukraine.
The document provides for the potential procurement from France of 100 Rafale F4 fighter aircraft by 2035, eight SAMP/T air defence systems comprising six launchers each, together with air-defence radars, air-to-air missiles and aerial bombs.
The agreement will span ten years from the start of next year. It also provides for the possibility of technology transfer and joint aircraft production with localisation in Ukraine.
In addition, Ukraine and France will co-produce interceptor drones and develop critical technologies and components suitable for integration into Ukrainian unmanned systems. The implementation of joint projects between the Ukrainian and French defence industries will commence this year.
Both presidents took part in the Ukrainian-French forum on joint drone production in Paris, where participants discussed potential avenues for joint drone production – the creation of joint enterprises and investment opportunities.
While in France, Zelenskyy also met with representatives of the Kernic Solidarités association and the National Committee for fishery and aquaculture. They provide Ukrainian cities with anti-drone nets.
“It is a great honor for me to meet you and thank you in person. You are people with big hearts,” Zelenskyy said.
The President noted that he had recently visited Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and eastern Ukraine, and saw that the nets provided by the association and the committee help protect lives from drones.
“For me, it was equally important today to thank both the people who build air defense systems and ordinary people – but with extraordinary vision and warmth – who support us so strongly. With your own money, you have delivered more than 200 kilometres of nets for Ukrainian roads and created safe logistical routes. And this is extremely important for us. I think you cannot even imagine how many lives have been saved thanks to your help,” the President emphasised.
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Image: Official image from the President of Ukraine
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