Ukraine has signed a letter of intent with France to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, in another move to bolster its air defenses in the face of intensified Russian attacks. The document was signed during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Paris, and also provides for the purchase of air defense systems, radars and drones. Dassault shares rose 8% after the announcement.
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Zelensky described the initiative as a “historic” moment for both countries. Ukraine has been the target this year of a growing wave of missiles, drones and slide bombs launched by Russia, which have killed civilians and caused power outages in several regions as winter approaches.
The deal comes less than a month after Kiev signed a letter of intent with Sweden to purchase up to 150 Saab fighter jets. In parallel, European allies have been handling much of Ukraine’s military financing since President Donald Trump’s government suspended support and began demanding that other countries bear the costs of U.S.-supplied equipment.
Ukraine has already received F-16 fighters sent by NATO countries. In May, the US State Department approved up to $350 million in training and services for fighters.
In an interview with RTL radio, after his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky stated that he considered the French version of the SAMP/T system “one of the greatest systems” in the world. Kiev is expected to receive eight units, although the Ukrainian president did not say when the delivery would take place. According to him, France and Ukraine also agreed to cooperate in industrial projects to produce interceptor drones and develop associated technology.
The European Union discusses contributing one billion dollars
Meanwhile, the EU is considering granting €90 billion in support to Ukraine or issuing a loan secured by the bloc’s shared debt if countries cannot reach a consensus on the use of frozen Russian assets – an option Brussels considers a priority.
The information is contained in a letter sent by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to European leaders, and obtained by Bloomberg. The document offers three alternatives to guarantee financing for Kiev between 2026 and 2027: direct subsidies from member states; Issuing joint debt to obtain a loan; Or use restricted Russian funds as collateral.
The Commission’s preferred plan – using nearly €200 billion in Russian assets frozen in the Euroclear clearinghouse – is facing resistance from Belgium, the country where the institution is headquartered. Brussels is demanding more solid guarantees to avoid the risk of having to make repayments if Russia demands the assets in the future. A meeting between von der Leyen and Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever last week did not yield any progress.
According to the document, Ukraine will need at least 51.6 billion euros in military resources in 2026, and its total needs could exceed 70 billion euros in 2026 and 64 billion euros in 2027. The Commission proposed concessions to try to overcome Belgian concerns, including the possibility of using 25 billion euros linked to Russian sovereign assets in other EU countries and mechanisms to cover risks arising from bilateral investment treaties.
European Commissioner for the Economy, Valdis Dombrovskis, said that the inclusion of elements related to the Belgian-Russian treaty fulfills a request from Belgium, but stressed that the details will be negotiated. He said it was important to listen to the first reactions from Member States before delving deeper into the proposal.
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