France agrees to provide 16 Rafale jets to Ukraine, deliveries from 2028-2029

France is fast-tracking interceptor missile deliveries to Ukraine after a nearly two-hour call between President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on August 22. The conversation came hours after a devastating Russian drone strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih killed at least 16 people and injured more than 100. Macron announced the acceleration on social media platform X, emphasizing that France would expedite the provision of military equipment previously committed under the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition formed in July 2026. What France is sending, and what it’s letting Ukraine build The centerpiece of France’s support is the Aster-30 missile, a sophisticated interceptor designed for the SAMP/T air defense system manufactured by Eurosam. Deliveries of these missiles, originally scheduled for October 2026, are now being pushed forward. France and Italy are coordinating the accelerated timeline together. A co-production agreement reached in July 2026 authorizes Ukraine to domestically manufacture Aster-30 interceptors, SCALP cruise missiles, and AASM guided bombs by the end of 2026. France has agreed to provide 16 Rafale fighter jets, with deliver...