Ukraine will get up to 100 of France's Rafale F4 fighter jets as well as advanced air defense systems in a major deal to boost Kyiv's ability to protect itself against deadly Russian attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the move as historic, after signing the letter of intent with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at an air base near Paris.
Deliveries of the Rafale F4's are planned to be completed by 2035, while the joint production of interceptor drones is starting this year.
Financial details are yet to be worked out, but reports say France plans to attract EU financing and also access frozen Russian assets - a controversial move that has split the 27-member bloc.
This is a strategic agreement which will last for 10 years starting from the next year, Zelensky said at a joint briefing with Macron on Monday.
Ukraine would also get very strong French radars, eight air defense systems and other advanced weaponry, he added.
Zelensky stressed that using such advanced systems means protecting someone's life... this is very important.
Russia has in recent months increased its drone and missile attacks against Ukraine, targeting energy and rail infrastructure and causing massive blackouts across the country.
Speaking alongside Zelensky, Macron said: We're planning Rafales, 100 Rafales - that's huge. That's what's needed for the regeneration of the Ukrainian military.
These Rafale fighter jets are seen as crucial to protecting Ukraine's skies, because the country is almost powerless in preventing long-range air strikes on its border towns and cities.
While this announcement between Kyiv and Paris is sizeable, analysts caution that it is a long-term political agreement rather than a detailed purchase order, and the effectiveness of such hardware will depend on the timeframe and the training and logistics provided with it.
After France, Zelensky will travel to Spain to seek further military and other support for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Moscow currently controlling about 20% of Ukraine's territory.
