Overview
- Kyiv and Paris signed a non‑binding letter of intent near Paris for as many as 100 Rafale F4 fighters by 2035, a package reported at up to €10 billion that also includes advanced French radars and eight SAMP/T air‑defence systems with six launchers each.
- The announcement adds a third pillar to Ukraine’s planned Western fleet alongside donated F‑16s and a separate intent to buy Gripen E, aiming at NATO‑style interoperability.
- Actual deliveries require export contracts and will face long timelines given Dassault’s output of fewer than four Rafales per month and a reported backlog of about 233 aircraft.
- EU capitals are debating a proposed €140 billion loan to Ukraine potentially tied to frozen Russian assets held in Belgium, which Belgian authorities have resisted using in this way.
- Reporting cited by Tagesspiegel highlights analyst views that the Rafale move may also serve political and industrial goals by channeling prospective EU‑backed funds toward European defense makers.