France to deliver Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine

France will deliver Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine and will also train Ukrainian pilots, announced the President of the country, Emmanuel Macron, in a live broadcast on French television.

“We’ll be launching a new cooperation program and announcing the transfer of Mirage 2000-5s – French fighter jets that will enable Ukraine to protect its soil and airspace. From tomorrow, we’re going to launch a pilot training program, followed by the transfer of these aircraft,” Macron said, as reported by Le Figaro.

The exact number of aircraft that Kyiv will receive is currently unknown, as France is “in the process of forming a coalition with other partners,” Macron added.

Macron also announced that France plans to form a French brigade for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “The task is to train 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers, equip them, teach them to defend their land and form a French brigade,” he explained. At the same time, Macron emphasized that there are currently no French troops in Ukraine.

The President confirmed that France has allowed Ukraine to strike Russian military targets with the transferred weapons. “We support the Ukrainians. We allow Ukraine to strike targets from which rockets were launched. We prohibit hitting civilians with our weapons,” he said.