In a televised interview this Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron surprised many by announcing that he would transfer Mirage 2000-5 fighters to Ukraine. This announcement came as a surprise since Paris had previously indicated that this was not a priority request from Ukraine. The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, had mentioned that maintaining these planes presented significant challenges due to limited numbers in the French air force.
President Macron emphasized that France was committed to peace but not at the cost of Ukraine’s capitulation. He mentioned the priority given to F-16s from other countries for Ukrainian pilots’ training. Macron clarified that France was willing to send instructors to Ukraine despite Moscow seeing it as a confrontation. He expressed the need to respond when Ukraine faced challenges.
The detailed announcements were scheduled for after a meeting with the Ukrainian president at the Elysée. Macron stated that France would launch a pilot training program and transfer aircraft to help Ukraine defend its territory and airspace. Questions arose regarding which specific Mirage aircraft would be transferred and if the French fighter group would have to give up some of its planes.
While Macron expressed plans to train Ukrainian soldiers and have a fully equipped brigade, there were concerns about the feasibility of meeting these goals within the proposed timeline. Moreover, sending instructors to Ukraine and training a brigade in France faced some resistance in Europe. Macron’s announcements signified a new phase in France’s support for Ukraine, aiming to equip and train soldiers for defense.