France plans to supply Mirage 2000-5 jets to Ukraine this summer, with pilot training to be completed by the end of the year. President Emmanuel Macron announced this plan during D-Day commemorations in Normandy. Dassault Aviation produced these jets, half of which were exported. Macron did not disclose the number of jets but mentioned details will follow when President Zelenskyy visits Paris.
Ukrainian pilots will be trained in France, similar to the training ongoing in several European countries for F-16 jets provided by the Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, and Belgian governments. France also plans to train and equip a brigade of 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers. Macron emphasized that training in Ukraine’s free area is not an escalation towards Russia, and that Ukraine can use French arms for defense against Russian attacks.
President Zelenskyy will meet with French officials and defense firms in Paris, including a signing ceremony for a letter of intent to create a unit in Ukraine with KNDS. Macron reiterated that France’s actions are in response to Russia’s actions, and not a change in strategy to attack Ukraine from Russian soil.
