France is to donate an undisclosed number of its Mirage 2000 combat aircraft to Ukraine. (French Air and Space Force)
France is to donate Dassault Mirage 2000 combat aircraft to Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said on 6 June.
Speaking to national TV ahead of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron confirmed the impending transfer of an undisclosed number of aircraft and the training of pilots to operate them.
“[On 7 June] during my meeting with President Zelensky we are going to start a new co-operation, and we will provide the Mirage 2000 and offer to train pilots,” he said.
Confirmation of the donation came months after an MBDA SCALP EG cruise missile provided to Ukraine from France was shown decorated with artwork that hinted at a future delivery of Mirage 2000 combat aircraft to Kyiv.
In a video released by the Ukrainian government on 6 August 2023, Zelensky was seen signing a SCALP EG fitted to a Sukhoi Su-24 ‘Fencer' combat aircraft. The missile featured an image that showed half an Su-24 airframe spliced together with that of a Mirage 2000.
In March 2023 Le Figaro reported that up to 30 Ukrainian pilots were being trained on the Mirage 2000 in France, and that the French Air and Space Force could deliver “dozens” of such jets to Kyiv if the French government takes the decision.
As noted by Janes World Air Forces
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