Ukraine to receive 250 of world's best fighter jets — Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine has agreements in place to receive new combat aircraft, including Swedish Gripen and French Rafale jets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his meeting with faculty and students at the Kyiv Aviation Institute.
Read also: Ukraine set to receive superior to F-16 Gripens with Meteors
"Ukraine currently has agreements to receive 150 Gripen fighter jets and 100 Rafale jets. These are, in our view, the best aircraft in the world. Of course, there are also F-16s. Ukraine's Air Force already operates F-16s, not new ones, while the aircraft I just mentioned are new," the president said.
Zelenskyy also announced that after the war, Ukraine plans to rebuild and expand its civil aviation sector.
"We will expand and develop civil aviation, but first and foremost, we will finish the war and focus on this area as well," he added.
Ukraine's air force expansion
Zelenskyy previously said in October 2025 that Ukraine is pursuing a large-scale program to develop its combat aviation. The goal is to form a fleet of 250 modern aircraft, including F-16s, Gripens, and Rafales.
On November 17, 2025, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a declaration of intent to significantly strengthen Ukraine's air force and air defense.
The agreement included potential future contracts under which Ukraine would purchase around 100 Rafale jets. In December, Zelenskyy met with Rafale manufacturer CEO Eric Trappier to discuss the program.
Also, in October 2025, Yurii Ihnat, Head of Communications for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, noted that Ukraine had long considered acquiring Swedish Gripen jets, which are seen as an optimal choice and, in some respects, superior to American F-16s.
