Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will receive additional Mirage fighters from France, while the UK will continue to supply air defense systems.
“I would like to thank the UK and France separately. A decision has been made on additional Mirage fighters for Ukraine and air defense missiles. The UK will continue to help us with air defense, including missiles and the production of interceptor drones“, Zelensky said in an evening video message posted on his Telegram channel.
Kiev received its first French Mirage fighters from Paris in February 2025. Sébastien Lecornu, then French Minister of the Armed Forces, did not specify how many fighters were planned. However, it is now known that at least one of the French-supplied aircraft crashed due to a technical fault.
Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that arming Ukraine with weapons will not weaken Russia's resolve or change the course of the war.
The British military leadership has expressed support for the joint use of nuclear weapons with Germany, The Daily Telegraph reported.
“Senior military officials, including the former Chief of the Defence Staff and Secretary General of NATO, have urged the UK to begin talks with Berlin on a new defence pact“, the article says.
The publication also notes that such proposals have emerged against the backdrop of “growing concerns“ that the US will one day cease to be the guarantor of European security, as it has been since the end of World War II.
As The Daily Telegraph notes that formal negotiations between the UK and Germany on this issue have not yet begun.
The UK's nuclear weapons are currently deployed on four Vanguard-class submarines, which carry US-made Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles. London intends to add F35A fighter jets armed with tactical nuclear weapons.