French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on November 17, 2025 earlier than a joint press convention on the Elysee Palace in Paris. | Photo Credit: AP
The letter of intent inked by the 2 leaders units out attainable future contracts for Ukraine to amass 100 Rafale fighter jets “with their associated weapons”, the French presidency mentioned.
It additionally lays out offers for the brand new era SAMP-T air defence techniques that are below growth, radar techniques and drones.
The accord signed at France’s Villacoublay air base will not be a purchase order and gross sales contract and is projected to be realised “over a timeframe of about 10 years”, the presidency added.
Mr. Zelenskyy, who has suffered setbacks during the last week as a consequence of a corruption scandal at house and Russian forces closing in on the Ukrainian metropolis of Pokrovsk, wrote on X forward of assembly Mr. Macron that the accord can be a “historic deal”.
“A great day,” Mr. Macron wrote in a short submit on X in French and Ukrainian over an image of the deal being signed.
The intention is to “enable it [Kyiv] to acquire the systems it needs to respond to Russian aggression”, added a French presidential official, asking to not be named.
The Ukrainian President had already signed a letter of intent final month to amass 100 to 150 Swedish Gripen fighter jets.
France has delivered Mirage fighter jets to Kyiv, however till now there had been no discuss of Ukraine buying the Rafale, the crown jewel of French fight aviation.
Ukraine on backfoot
The go to by Mr. Zelenskyy to France is his ninth since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It comes forward of what analysts predict will probably be a tricky winter for Kyiv as Moscow presses on the battlefield.
Overnight, Russian strikes killed three individuals in a metropolis in Ukraine’s jap Kharkiv area, its navy administration chief mentioned. Seven individuals have been killed after Russia struck house blocks throughout the capital Kyiv on Friday.
The Russian Army seized three extra villages throughout jap Ukraine, the defence ministry in Moscow mentioned Monday, the newest in its grinding advance.
Efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure a peace deal have stalled as Moscow has rejected requires a ceasefire and refused to drop hardline territorial calls for.
Mr. Zelenskyy on the weekend introduced an overhaul of state-owned power firms after a corruption scandal, ordering two ministers to resign and sanctioning a former enterprise accomplice who was named as its mastermind.
France’s Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad mentioned in a tv interview on Saturday that governments needed to be “extraordinarily vigilant” about corruption as Ukraine presses its case to hitch the European Union.
Mr. Zelenskyy’s go to is a part of a short tour of his western allies that noticed him seal an power take care of Greece on Sunday, and can embrace a go to to Spain on Tuesday.
Mr. Macron and Mr. Zelenskyy additionally visited the headquarters of a Ukraine multinational pressure that France and Britain are getting ready within the occasion a global pressure is deployed in Ukraine after any ceasefire.
The headquarters at Mont Valerien, west of Paris, is the place international locations from the “coalition of the willing” organised by France and Britain have despatched officers to arrange the pressure.
France says that 34 international locations and Ukraine have already provided to participate.
Published – November 17, 2025 10:25 pm IST
