Ukraine announced on Thursday (February 6, 2025) the arrival of the first batch of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets, as well as US-made F-16s sent by the Netherlands. This development comes as European allies seek to bolster Ukraine's position in its ongoing war with Russia.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion three years ago, Ukraine had an air force largely composed of outdated Soviet-era equipment, inherited from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised France and the Netherlands for their commitment to helping modernize Ukraine's air force. "These modern fighter jets have already arrived in Ukraine and will soon begin carrying out combat missions, strengthening our defense and improving our ability to effectively counter Russian aggression," said Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Facing Russian advances in the east and long-range air strikes, Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Western allies for increasingly advanced weapons and ammunition, including armored vehicles, tanks, long-range missiles, and F-16 fighter jets.
On June 6, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000 jets to Ukraine. The first of these arrived in Ukraine today. With Ukrainian pilots on board, trained for several months in France, they will now participate in the defense of Ukraine's skies," wrote French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu on the social network X, without specifying their number.
According to a report by the French National Assembly, six of the 26 Mirage 2000 jets owned by the French air force will be transferred to Ukraine. However, the Ministry of Defense has not confirmed this information.
The Mirage 2000s are the latest sophisticated aircraft that Ukraine has received from its allies after the first F-16s arrived last summer, marking a military milestone for the country.
For its part, the Dutch Ministry of Defense said that for security reasons, it would not provide details about the deliveries and the exact number of F-16s delivered at this time. However, the Netherlands has pledged to deliver a total of 24 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Several countries have already supplied Ukraine with this type of aircraft, and some have already been sent to a training center for Ukrainian pilots in Romania.
The first F-16s arrived in Ukraine in 2024, although their impact on the war has been limited by the Russian air force.