Macron: France to send Ukraine new Mirage jets and Aster missiles
Photo: Emmanuel Macron, President of France (Getty Images)
France will provide Ukraine with new military aid in the coming days, including Mirage fighter jets, said French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron emphasized that the Coalition of the Willing shares common goals - to ensure predictability and funding for Ukraine. At the same time, military aid must continue to be strengthened, including air defense systems, long-range capabilities, drones, and counter-drone systems.
"I want to confirm, Volodymyr, that we will deliver in the days to come additional Aster missiles, new training programmes, and new Mirage. We will, with some other colleagues, confirm some additional initiatives, but we have to focus on this top priority," the French President added.
Aster missiles
Aster missiles are a family of surface-to-air guided missiles (a French-Italian MBDA development) used to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic targets.
In the SAMP/T system, Aster 30 missiles are used, capable of hitting targets at distances up to 120 km and altitudes up to 20 km.
Ukraine received at least one SAMP/T battery in 2023, with Italy promising to deliver another system.
Mirage jets for Ukraine
The transfer of French Mirage fighter jets to Ukraine was first announced in February this year. The exact number of aircraft delivered has not been disclosed.
By March, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had used the Mirage jets for the first time to destroy aerial targets during a large-scale Russian strike.
