‘Defending the skies,’ France delivers first Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the new deliveries on X, calling them “another significant step in strengthening Ukraine’s security.”
Members of Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron-234, (VMGR-234) provide aerial refueling to French Mirage 2000 Fighters from a K C-130J over Djibouti (US Air Force)
BELFAST — France has delivered Mirage 2000 fourth-generation fighter jets to Ukraine in a much needed strike capability boost for Kyiv as it continues to combat Russian forces.
“The first of them arrived in Ukraine today,” Sébastien Lecornu, France’s Armed Forces Minister, said of the Dassault-made aircraft deliveries in a translated X post. The planes will be mainly deployed to carry out air-to-ground strikes.
“With Ukrainian pilots on board who have been trained for several months in France, they will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine,” Lecornu added.
He did not disclose the exact number of aircraft delivered, but various reports state France’s National Assembly has previously shared that six Mirage 2000-5 platforms would be sent.
Western nations, which have also supplied Ukraine with US-made F-16 fourth-generation jets have typically not commented on aircraft quantities upon delivery due to operational security concerns.
Sharing details of the plan to send the Mirage jets to Ukraine, Lecornu said last year that they would be equipped with air-to-ground weapons and new electronic warfare equipment.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the new aircraft deliveries on X, calling them “another significant step in strengthening Ukraine’s security.”
He added, “With the latest deliveries, we are also continuing to expand our F-16 fleet, with the Netherlands fulfilling its commitments to support this effort.”
As of July 2024, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway had collectively agreed to supply around 80 F-16s to Kyiv under an air force capability coalition, which includes 16 nations in all. Additionally, Denmark, Romania, the UK and the US host Ukraine pilot training for the jet.
In the early stages of the war, Ukraine was forced to rely predominately on Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 combat jets to counter Russia’s invasion, though officials and experts have said the supply of F-16s won’t be a silver bullet.
Zelensky has also pushed hard for supplies of Swedish Gripen fighter jets, but according to Swedish Minister of Defence Pal Jonson, other allies requested such a plan be put on hold to accommodate Kyiv first getting to grips with the F-16.
Meanwhile, a key shift in leadership for the multinational Ukraine Defense Contact Group appears to be on the way after the Trump administration reportedly told the UK to take on the role of chair for a new meeting next week, in what would be a first for London.
The Times newspaper said that UK Defence Secretary John Healey will become the new chair, which has been exclusively held by the US since 2022, though it remains unclear if the change is a one-off or if a rotational style involving different countries will be implemented going forward.
“The United States looks forward to participating in the UK-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group next week,” said the the Office of the Secretary of Defense in a statement. “We appreciate the UK’s leadership in convening the 50-plus countries who participate in this forum. Ally and partner burden sharing remains critical to helping achieve peace in Ukraine.”
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to lead a US delegation when the group meets at the Ramstein Airbase in Germany.
The supposed pivot by President Donald Trump would mark a significant departure from Ukraine military aid policy under the Biden administration, with former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin imploring the 50-member-strong group not to “flinch,” “falter,” or “fail,” during a farewell address last month.
Updated 2/7/2025 at 4:31 am ET with comment from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
