President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs of France, Catherine Vautrin, who visited Ukraine for the first time since taking office in October last year.
The discussion focused primarily on military assistance, strengthening Ukraine’s air defense with additional systems and missiles, and expanding Ukraine’s aviation capabilities with French Mirage and Rafale aircraft.
The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine greatly values the high level of relations with France and the support provided by President of France Emmanuel Macron, the Government, and the French people since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed the Minister on the impact of the Russian strike on Ukraine that occurred last night. The parties discussed the measures needed to ensure our country’s protection and resilience.
The President highlighted the importance of supplying SAMP/T systems and French Mirage aircraft to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, which is critical amid Russia’s ongoing massive attacks.
“Mirage aircraft are already integrated into Ukraine’s air defense system, intercepting the ‘shaheds’ that Russia uses daily. We rely on continued support in this area. We are grateful for the agreement signed on Ukraine’s future modern aviation, which will allow us to acquire Rafale, high-quality French-made aircraft. We are also counting on a new generation of SAMP/T systems,” the Head of State said.
The President stressed that the rapid delivery of air defense systems will enhance the protection of Ukrainian airspace. Ukraine is also interested in implementing joint projects with France under European initiatives, particularly SAFE, as quickly as possible.
Catherine Vautrin assured continued French support for Ukraine. She highlighted productive cooperation with Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, particularly regarding the modernization of radars provided by France and collaboration in drone production.
“France will honor its commitments regarding Rafale. As for the deliveries, they will be carried out as planned under the SAFE instrument. We will remain your dedicated partner, defending your cause and working to involve, in a broad sense, the European defense-industrial complex in this effort, in order to strengthen our capabilities and our sovereignty in a European context,” she emphasized.
The meeting also addressed the sanctions policy against Russia. The President noted that France took a bold step in detaining a tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet. It is important for other countries to join these efforts and introduce the necessary legislative changes to fully block Russian tankers.