**France to Send Fighter Jets to Ukraine**
France will give six Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets to Ukraine. This was said by a French MP, Frank Giletti, in his recent budget review on November 11th.
Ukraine currently has old Soviet-era planes. These include Mig-29 fighter jets and Su-24 bombers. Recently, Ukraine started getting the first F-16s to help with air attacks. France also promised to send Mirage 2000 jets to Ukraine. Other countries are talking about giving Ukraine Eurofighter and Gripen fighters.
This is a change in France’s defense strategy. Earlier, France said they wouldn’t give their Leclerc tanks to Ukraine, even though other countries like the UK, US, and Germany were sending theirs.
France wants to make sure that any arms it sends must meet three conditions: be used for defense only, not affect French security, and be ready to use at all times. This is because maintaining their Leclerc tanks is a problem.
In June, President Emmanuel Macron said France would send an unknown number of Mirage 2000-5Fs to Ukraine. At the time, there were 28 such planes in service with the French military.
The delivery will take place in the first half of next year. Ukrainian pilots and technicians need to finish their training first. The planes are being modified so they can carry bombs and have better electronic systems.