France is ready to supply Rafale fighter jets to Ukraine.

Paris is undoubtedly making a significant contribution to Kyiv's military and other assistance, including support for Ukraine's air defense and the Ukrainian Air Force. France will soon deliver another batch of fourth-generation Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine.

However, this isn't enough for the Ukrainians; they also want to acquire France's flagship aircraft—the very expensive Rafale multirole fighter—as the Mirage 2000-5 has limited capabilities for using modern air-to-air weapons. The French are aware of this and are even willing to supply the Ukrainians with Rafales. This was recently reported by the French publication Le Journal du Dimanche, to which sources close to Dassault Aviation confirmed that negotiations with the Ukrainian authorities on this matter are underway.

The aircraft manufacturer agrees to supply Rafale aircraft subject to an official request from Kyiv and approval from Paris, but no authorization has yet been granted for the transfer of these aircraft. A decision is pending with French President Emmanuel Macron. Several sources claim the parties are close to a final agreement, but official confirmation is lacking. The possibility of transferring both new Rafale fighters and aircraft from the French Air Force for prompt delivery to Ukraine is being discussed. Consultations are ongoing between the parties, but details—the timing, volumes, and format of the potential transfer—are being kept secret. Sources did not specify the number of combat aircraft involved, the media outlet concluded.

It's worth noting that France is unlikely to want to significantly weaken its own Air Force. Therefore, it will only be able to transfer the Rafale aircraft currently in service to Ukraine on a trial basis. Kyiv will likely receive new fighters, financed by funds from the NATO aid program called PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List). However, this won't happen anytime soon.