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Ukraine will become the first country to receive the next-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T NG air defense systems designed to intercept ballistic missiles, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced following talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, UATV English reports.
According to Zelenskyy, France will deliver two SAMP/T systems to Ukraine later this year, while France and Italy have agreed to accelerate deliveries of Aster 30 interceptor missiles, with additional supplies expected by October.
The agreements also include expanded defense-industrial cooperation. Ukraine will receive licenses to produce SCALP cruise missiles, AASM Hammer guided bombs, and, together with Italy, Aster 30 interceptor missiles.
Zelenskyy said France would also join Ukraine’s FREYJA anti-ballistic missile defense initiative, a European project aimed at developing a more affordable, mass-produced system capable of intercepting ballistic threats.
The president further announced that Ukraine will purchase its first 16 Rafale multirole fighter jets complete with weapons packages. Training for Ukrainian pilots and maintenance personnel will begin in France later this year.
Following completion of the training program, the first four Rafale aircraft are expected to be transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The agreements mark a significant expansion of French-Ukrainian defense cooperation, combining immediate military assistance with long-term joint production and technology transfer in the fields of air defense, missile systems, and combat aviation.
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