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France and Ukraine have agreed a roadmap for Kyiv's acquisition of 16 Rafale fighter jets, with the first aircraft expected to be airborne by 2028-2029, President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday following a summit of Ukraine's allies in Paris.
The announcement came at a press conference after a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, the UK- and French-led grouping of more than 35 countries formed to provide military support and security guarantees to Ukraine.
At least 25 heads of state and government attended the gathering, which was held a day before France's Bastille Day celebrations, at which soldiers from coalition member states were to take part in the traditional military parade on the Champs-Elysees.
Alongside the Rafale agreement, Macron said Ukraine would acquire "an initial batch of next-generation SAMP/T batteries, which will complement the systems due to be delivered with their missiles in the coming weeks" a move aimed at bolstering Kyiv's air defenses.
Macron also confirmed that the coalition's planned Multinational Force for Ukraine would conduct exercises in neighboring countries in the coming months.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended the summit in Paris representing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry's official social media accounts.
Türkiye's participation underscored the broad, if diplomatically complex, nature of the coalition, which spans European, Commonwealth, and partner nations.
Monday's announcement builds on a broader framework established in November 2025, when Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a declaration of intent covering the potential acquisition of up to 100 Rafale F4 aircraft by 2035, alongside SAMP/T air defense systems, radars, air-to-air missiles and guided bombs.
The Rafale, built by French aviation firm Dassault, is a multi-role fourth-generation fighter capable of both long-range strike and air combat missions.
It has been exported to India, Egypt, Greece, and Qatar, among others, and has seen combat in Libya, Mali, Syria, and Iraq.
Ukraine has already been flying a small fleet of French-made Mirage 2000 jets, and some of its pilots trained on that platform are expected to transition to the Rafale more quickly than those coming from other aircraft types.
The SAMP/T, a Franco-Italian surface-to-air missile system, has previously been assessed by French military officials as performing well against Russian missile threats.
The Paris gathering followed last week's NATO summit in Ankara, where alliance members pledged billions in military aid to Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump held bilateral talks with Zelenskyy, reportedly confirming a license for Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles domestically.
Macron had signaled ahead of Monday's meeting that he intended to use it to unveil new defense initiatives and joint military exercises, framing the moves as part of Europe taking greater responsibility for its own security.
The coalition, which formally launched in early 2025 following a summit convened by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, has since committed to providing Ukraine with legally binding assurances that it will not be abandoned in the event of renewed Russian aggression.
Two new members, Moldova and North Macedonia, were confirmed as joining the grouping at Monday's meeting, bringing the coalition to 37 nations. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and senior European Union officials, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also attended.
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