'Ukraine To Receive 100 Rafales From France': Zelenskyy After Meeting Macron

'Ukraine To Receive 100 Rafales From France': Zelenskyy After Meeting Macron

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday signed a letter of intent allowing Kyiv to receive 100 Rafale warplanes and air-defence systems to strengthen its long-term war effort.

According to France24, Zelenskyy met Macron at an air base outside Paris to seal a major deal to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets, France's flagship combat aircraft.

The accord has paved the way for Kyiv to acquire the new generation SAMP-T air defence system under development, radar systems and drones.

“It will be the greatest air defence, one of the greatest in the world," Zelenskyy told reporters at France's Villacoublay military airport.

“We're planning Rafales, 100 Rafales – that's huge. That's what's needed for the regeneration of the Ukrainian military," Macron said.

He further said the accord would boost Ukraine's defences in the face of “unacceptable attacks by Russia".

This agreement aims to put “France's industrial and technological excellence at the service of Ukraine and therefore of Europe," France 24 quoted the French President as saying.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine will likely consider co-production of Rafale warplanes in the future.

This comes after an increase of Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine in past few weeks.

During the weekend, Russian strikes killed three people in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, its military administration chief said. On Friday, seven people were killed when Russia struck a residential area in Kyiv.

According to AFP, Russia on Sunday claimed to have captured two villages in southern Ukraine, as its forces gradually advance against Ukrainian troops, who remain heavily outnumbered in the region.

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced via Telegram that its soldiers had captured Rivnopillia and Mala Tokmachka, located in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Source: News18
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