France’s Macron and Ukraine’s Zelensky pave way for jets and air defe
Source: RFI – All the news from France, Europe, Africa and the rest of the world.
President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky signed a letter of intent on Monday for Ukraine to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets and other air defence hardware from French companies, the French presidency said.
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The accord was signed at the Vélizy-Villacoublay airbase some 30 km south-west of Paris.
It sets out possible future contracts for Ukraine to get the jets and their weapons as well as the new generation SAMP-T air defence system under development, radar systems and drones.
The letter of intent, which is not a purchase and sales contract, is projected to be realised “over a timeframe of about 10 years”, although the production of drones and interceptors would start by the end of this year, Macron said.
Macron acknowledged that this was currently a “difficult moment” in the conflict, which was sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The aim of the accord is to “put French excellence in the arms industry at the service of Ukraine’s defence” and to “enable it (Kyiv) to acquire the systems it needs to respond to Russian aggression”, said the French president’s office.
“Russia alone is making the choice to continue this war and to intensify it,” he told reporters alongside Zelensky, accusing Russia of having an “addiction for war”.
Dissuasion
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.
Zelensky, who has suffered setbacks over the last week due to a corruption scandal at home and Russian forces closing in on the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, described it a “historic deal”.
During his visit to the air base, Zelensky inspected Rafale fighter jets as well as air defence systems.
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The Ukrainian president has already signed a letter of intent to acquire 100 to 150 Swedish Gripen fighter jets.
France has delivered Mirage fighter jets to Kyiv but this is the first time Rafale planes have been promised.
Financial details were not disclosed but France intends dip into its own budget contribution and use joint EU borrowing mechanisms, despite the risk of potential German resistance, to help Kyiv finance the deal.
Macron and Zelensky also visited the headquarters of a Ukraine multinational force that France and Britain are preparing in the event an international force is deployed in Ukraine after any ceasefire.
The headquarters, at Mont Valerien, west of Paris, is where countries from the “coalition of the willing” organised by France and Britain have sent officers to prepare the force.
France says that 34 countries and Ukraine have already offered to take part.
Visit to Spain
Zelensky’s visit to France is his ninth since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He is also due to hold talks with the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Felipe VI on Tuesday.
Sanchez’ office said he and Zelensky will discuss matters of common interest. “The trip will reaffirm Spain’s commitment to Ukraine in all areas,” said a spokesperson for Sanchez’ office.
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Zelensky will also meet lawmakers from both chambers of the Spanish parliament in what will be his third visit to Spain.
On Sunday, Zelensky announced that he had signed a gas deal with Greece as Ukraine’s energy supply faces another gruelling winter under attack from Russian missiles.
Zelensky said on Friday that Russia had launched around 430 drones and 18 missiles in overnight attacks, primarily targeting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Four people were killed and dozens wounded.
“This was a deliberately calculated attack aimed at causing maximum harm to people and civilian infrastructure,” Zelensky said.
He also said that the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk had suspended oil exports, after what local authorities described as a major Ukrainian drone attack.
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