French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signed an accord for Kiev to acquire up to 100 fighter jets and other hardware, including drones, in a boost for Ukraine as it fights Russia's invasion.
Monday’s signing of the document, which aims to bolster defence cooperation between the two countries, took place at the Villacoublay airbase near Paris.
Delivery of the Rafale fighter jets — the crown jewel of French combat aviation — is only foreseen under the letter of intent over a 10-year horizon, although the production of drones and interceptors would start by the end of this year, Macron said.
The letter of intent also lays out deals for the new generation SAMP-T air defence systems which are under development, radar systems and the drones. It also lays out deals for the new generation SAMP-T air defence systems which are under development, radar systems and the drones.
The announcement, made as Zelenskyy visited Paris, came with the Ukrainian leader in need of support after setbacks over the last week due to a corruption scandal at home, Russian forces closing in on the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and continued aerial attacks by Moscow.
A difficult moment
Macron acknowledged that this was currently a "difficult moment" in the conflict, which was sparked by Russia's full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022.
"Russia alone is making the choice to continue this war and to intensify it," he told reporters alongside Zelenskyy, accusing Russia of having an "addiction for war".
But the French leader said he hoped "peace will be obtained before 2027" when his own mandate expires, adding that there needed to be then a "regeneration" of the Ukrainian army so that it is "capable of dissuading any new incursion" by Russia.
Zelenskyy arrived in France following a visit to the Greek capital Athens, where the two countries’ gas companies signed a letter of intent on the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US to Ukraine during the coming winter period.
The visit by Zelenskyy to France was his ninth since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
It comes ahead of what analysts predict will be a tough winter for Kiev as Moscow presses on the battlefield.
Russian pressure mounts
Overnight, Russian strikes killed three people in a city in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, its military administration chief said. Seven people were killed after Russia struck apartment blocks across the capital Kiev on Friday.
The Russian army seized three more villages across eastern Ukraine, the defence ministry in Moscow said Monday, the latest in its grinding advance.
Efforts by US President Donald Trump to force a peace deal have stalled as Moscow has rejected calls for a ceasefire and refused to drop hardline territorial demands.
With the delivery of the Rafale jets only expected after the war, Macron said: "There will be no robust, lasting peace if there is not a strong Ukrainian army."
The Ukrainian president is due to visit neighbouring Spain on Tuesday.
