Ukraine to receive additional Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France
October 27, 2025
Zelensky announces Ukraine will supply additional French Mirage 2000-5s, days after Sweden signs a major deal to supply up to 150 JAS 39 Saab Gripen E fighter jets.
France commits to providing more Mirage 2000s to Ukraine
The French news outlet Le Monde reported on October 26th that France would supply Ukraine with more Mirage fighter jets, along with air defense missiles, but did not disclose the number. In August 2025, Le Monde reported France could double its commitment from 10 to 20 Mirage 2000-Fs for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter), thanking the United Kingdom and France for more assistance. He wrote, “There is a decision from France to provide Ukraine with additional Mirage fighter jets and air defence missiles.”
He also thanks the UK for supplying more missiles and interceptor drones.
I want to express my particular gratitude to the United Kingdom and France: there is a decision from France to provide Ukraine with additional Mirage fighter jets and air defense missiles, while the UK will continue to assist us with air defense by supplying missiles and… pic.twitter.com/eQd8Lkkt5J
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 26, 2025
It is unclear how many more Mirage 2000s France will donate or when they will arrive. France had previously committed to donating over six and perhaps ten of the jets to Ukraine. The first arrived in February 2025, and at least four have been delivered, of which one crashed after a technical malfunction.
The question of third-party Mirage exports
The Mirage 2000 is gradually being replaced in the French Air and Space Forces by the more modern Dassault Rafale. As the service receives more Rafales, this frees up Mirage 2000s available for donation.
Even so, France can likely only supply Mirage 2000s in relatively modest numbers. France may supply 20 Mirages, but Belgium alone is supplying 30 F-16s. To significantly boost the numbers, France would likely need to tap into those exported to third countries.
Defense Express reported French President Macron saying in March 2025 that Mirage 2000-5s could be transferred by “third countries that operate them.” It is unclear if any progress in negotiations has been made since then.
There are around 240 Mirage 2000s in service with France, Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, Taiwan, and the UAE. Those in service with India have been upgraded with Israeli tech, and Israel strictly prohibits re-export to Ukraine.
BREAKING ‼️
— PS01 □ (@PStyle0ne1) March 27, 2023
France wants to buy back about 40 Mirage 2000-9 from the UAE for further transfer to Ukraine reportedly#France #Ukraine https://t.co/S7qmbxbFTn pic.twitter.com/tn1THn6o2t
It is possible France could secure some sort of ‘buy-back’ deal with Qatar and the UAE, as it supplies the countries with more advanced Rafale fighters.
There has been reporting by Kyiv Post and others on Western countries pressuring NATO-member Greece to supply some of its 25 retiring Mirage 2000s to Ukraine. Although Greece has resisted and has tried and failed to sell them to India.
The emerging face of Ukraine’s new air force
While Russia has been unable to destroy Ukraine’s air force, its dwindling fleet of old, partially obsolete, and worn-out Soviet jets is in desperate need of replacement. Slovakia and Poland supplied a couple of dozen MiG-29s as a stopgap.
To keep Ukraine’s air force in the fight, Western nations are supplying retired European F-16 Fighting Falcons, Mirage 2000s, and now Gripens. So far, around 90 F-16s have been pledged by Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. Many have been delivered, and the first Belgian F-16s are expected to arrive shortly.
It is unclear how many Mirage 2000s Ukraine will eventually receive, but it could be substantial if France can negotiate the transfer of jets from third countries.
Now boarding pic.twitter.com/gPvRSk0ZZS
— Ulf Kristersson (@SwedishPM) October 22, 2025
But the backbone of the post-war Ukrainian Air Force appears to be the Gripen E. The upgraded jet has just gone into production, with the Swedish Air Force receiving the first example. Ukraine and Sweden supplied a Letter of Intent for the sale of up to 150 new-build Gripen E fighter jets.
Zelensky stated the first Gripen will arrive in 2026, suggesting Sweden could initially supply older Gripen C/Ds in limited numbers until new-build Gripen Es arrive.
Featured Image: Ukrainian Air Force
