France pledges to aid Ukraine with 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets within 10 years
French President Macron has made a rare specific military aid commitment, stating that France will provide Ukraine with 100 Rafale F4 fighter jets over the next 10 years. After signing a memorandum of understanding at an airbase near Paris, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy praised it as a "historic decision." The plan for delivering the fighter jets will be completed by 2035, while joint production of intercept drones will start this year. With the United States refusing to provide Ukraine with "Tomahawk" missiles, European countries are increasing their support for Ukraine.
Strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities
According to the BBC, the funds for this military aid will be sourced from EU funds and the frozen Russian assets in France. Ukraine will also receive advanced radar systems provided by France, including eight SAMP/T air defense systems and other advanced weapons, to strengthen its defense system and reduce casualties among the Ukrainian people caused by Russian air raids and drone attacks.
Ukrainian defense analyst Kuzan said that the Russian military uses at least 6,000 glide bombs (bombs with flight control surfaces that can fly further) per month. If equipped with France's air-to-air systems, it would be able to better intercept and defend against them. After receiving French assistance, Zelenskyy will travel to Spain to seek further military aid. Recently, he also signed an agreement with Greece to obtain U.S. natural gas from Greek ports to help Ukraine through the winter.
Europe expands aid to Ukraine
Currently, countries such as the United States, Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden provide military aid to Ukraine, but they have mainly relied on support from the United States and former President Biden. After Trump took office, the willingness of the United States to provide military aid to Ukraine decreased, prompting European countries to realize the need to enhance their own support. France has previously provided defensive weapons, fuel, "Storm Shadow" missiles, and precision-guided bombs, but the scale is not as large as that of the UK and Germany. Now, it has significantly expanded its aid.
According to Sky News, recently, Romania, Poland, and other countries are concerned about the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, especially the discovery of unknown explosive devices near Polish railways, and Russian bombings are approaching the border between Romania and Ukraine. There is concern that if the Russian military attacks a NATO member state, the conflict may escalate due to NATO's collective defense clause. However, Russia has so far been unwilling to return to the negotiation table, and there has been no progress in the ceasefire talks. (Rural Cat)
Figure: France will provide Ukraine with 100 F4 fighters within 10 years, and European countries have recently expanded their aid to Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons)
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849164427165767/
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