Ukraine may receive 8 SAMP-T air defense systems from France, Zelenskyy says
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron (GettyImages)
A significant strengthening of Ukraine's defense capabilities, namely air defense and aircraft, is expected under a new agreement with France. We are talking about air defense and aircraft, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to him, Ukraine will be able to receive eight SAMP-T air defense systems, 100 Rafale F-4 fighter jets, and a range of other high-tech equipment.
"Ukraine will be able to receive 100 Rafale F-4 aircraft, very powerful French radars, eight SAMP-T air defense systems, and six launchers. For some, these are technical details, but for us, they are important," Zelenskyy says.
The President also says that France will transfer 55 electric locomotives to Ukraine, which will provide additional assistance to Ukrainian infrastructure.
At the same time, Zelenskyy refused to disclose the full list and characteristics of the weapons provided. According to him, the disclosure of some details could create risks for both Ukraine and its partners.
"We can only talk about certain types of weapons when they are already performing their tasks," the head of state stresses.
Ukraine and France declaration
On November 17, Ukraine and France signed a declaration of intent to cooperate in the procurement of defense equipment, including aircraft, drones, and air defense systems. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the document gives Ukraine access to France's defense technology base, including the opportunity to purchase 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets, SAMP-T air defense systems, radars, and air-to-air missiles by 2035.
Joint projects between the defense industries of the two countries will start this year. Ukraine and France will jointly produce interceptor drones and work on the development of critical technologies and components for integration into Ukrainian unmanned systems.
According to Macron, Ukraine will be the first of all customer countries to receive the promising SAMP/T air defense system, which is still under development. It is also known that as part of the agreement, Ukraine plans to purchase about a hundred French Rafale fighter jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation.
