Emmanuel Macron announces the sale of Mirage 2000 aircraft to kyiv

After missiles and cannons, fighter planes. France is preparing to transfer Mirage 2000 – 5 combat aircraft to Ukraine, to support it in its war against Russia, Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday, June 6 in an interview on TF1 and France 2. These devices, the number of which was not specified, “will enable Ukraine to protect its soil and airspace”did he declare.

This planned delivery will be accompanied by “training sessions” of Ukrainian hunters, declared the head of state. “The pilots must be able to be trained this summer”he insisted, adding that“It takes five to six months” for complete training, and therefore “by the end of the year, they will have these planes”. He also announced the desire to train “4,500 Ukrainians, to equip them, train them and provide them with ammunition which will allow them to defend their soil”.

Contacted by franceinfo, the Ministry of the Armed Forces emphasizes that France was already training Ukrainian pilots, but on American F-16 planes until now. Some of these fighters will therefore be “taken” to be able to fly Mirage 2000-5s, continues the ministry.

The head of state had warned that he would make announcements on Ukraine, after premature declarations from the Ukrainian army on the hypothetical sending of French military instructors to Ukrainian soil. While this avenue remained studied by France and other European partners of Ukraine, Russia had threatened to strike foreign instructors in Ukraine, “it doesn’t matter whether they are French or not.”