Ukrainian pilots to start Rafale fighter jet training soon, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo: president.gov.ua)
Ukrainian pilots will soon train on French Rafale fighter jets. France is also preparing a new defense aid package for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Rafale pilot training, defense package
After speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelenskyy thanked France for its full support for Ukraine.
"We discussed Russia's terrorist escalation and our defense needs. New defense deliveries are now being prepared, and we expect a new package to arrive in Ukraine soon. We discussed its contents," he said.
Ukrainian pilots will also soon begin training on French Rafale fighter jets in France.
"This is a strong step for Ukraine's combat aviation," the president said.
Other French assistance
Zelenskyy also said that teams from the two countries continue to work on localizing the production of French missiles and aerial bombs in Ukraine.
The conversation also covered Europe's FREYJA anti-ballistic missile system.
"We are actively preparing the FREYJA system. We discussed where we could move faster and agreed to discuss everything in greater detail during our meeting," he said.
Rafale fighter jets
The Dassault Rafale is a French fourth-generation multirole fighter jet developed by Dassault Aviation. It made its first flight on July 4, 1986.
Since 2000, the French Air and Space Force has operated the fighter, while the French Navy's primary combat aircraft is the carrier-based Rafale M variant.
On November 17, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron signed an agreement for Ukraine to acquire defense equipment. The signing ceremony took place against the background of Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jets.
In July 2026, France and Ukraine signed an agreement to sell the first batch of 16 Dassault Rafale fighter jets. The first aircraft from the batch are expected to arrive in 2028–2029.
As previously reported, Paris had begun preparations to train the first Ukrainian pilots to fly French Rafale fighter jets ahead of their possible transfer to Ukraine. French Minister Delegate for Europe Benjamin Haddad said this.
In addition, France will provide Ukraine with Rafale fighter jets and allow it to produce advanced missiles and aerial bombs, Macron said.
