In a desperate race to counter Russia’s escalating and brutal air campaign, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has secured a major defense deal with France for jets, drones, and advanced air defense systems. The letter of intent, signed in Paris, includes the potential purchase of 100 Rafale fighter jets, a move aimed directly at repelling the Russian attacks that have killed civilians and caused rolling blackouts by targeting the nation’s power grid ahead of winter.
President Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Kyiv’s top priority is obtaining more air-defense systems, including both ground-based Patriot systems and modern fighter jets. Russia’s intensified use of missiles, drones, and particularly glide bombs—which are launched from a distance and are notoriously difficult to intercept—has overwhelmed Ukraine’s existing defenses. This new 10-year pact with France is a direct response to that urgent battlefield reality, providing tools to protect Ukrainian skies.
The agreement’s scope reflects the complexity of the threat. Beyond the 100 Dassault-made Rafales, the pact includes new radars for early detection, drones for both reconnaissance and attack, and advanced air defense systems. Zelensky specifically praised the French SAMP/T system, eight of which are now earmarked for Kyiv, calling it “one of the greatest” interceptor systems available. This provides a much-needed boost to Ukraine’s ground-based defenses.
The timeline for the arrival of the Rafale jets, however, will be long. A source familiar with the plans cautioned that deliveries are contingent on completing the lengthy training for Ukrainian pilots and establishing the necessary support infrastructure within the country. This means that while the deal is a “historical” step, it is a long-term solution rather than an immediate battlefield fix for the glide bomb problem.
This deal, along with a recent agreement for 150 Swedish Saab jets, highlights Ukraine’s pivot to European allies as US support under the Trump administration has been halted. Funding for the French hardware will rely on EU mechanisms, including the €150 billion SAFE loan fund and a G7 plan to leverage profits from frozen Russian assets, demonstrating Europe’s commitment to filling the gap left by Washington.