Up to 100 Rafale aircraft for Ukrainian defense?

Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky today formalized the signing of a declaration of intent in Paris on cooperation regarding Ukraine's acquisition of French defense equipment. This text, described as historic by the Ukrainian presidency, aims to support Ukrainian resistance against Russia with a commitment period of around 10 years.

The agreement provides for the possibility for Ukraine to purchase up to 100 Rafale fighter jets, along with associated weapons, eight new-generation SAMP-T air defense systems (i.e., 48 launchers), several radars, new AASM Hammer guided bombs, and observation, attack, and interception drones. The lead times for the aircraft remain long, given the negotiations, the production process, and the need to train pilots.

France plans to finance part of this agreement from its own resources and to call on joint European mechanisms, with the French president once again arguing for shared EU debt in order to guarantee reliable support for Kiev, despite the reluctance of some European partners.

The context is difficult for Ukraine: recent losses on the front, harsh winter conditions, and internal tensions due to corruption scandals.

The two leaders also visited the headquarters of the future “multinational Ukraine force,” a structure prepared by Paris and London for possible rapid deployment in the event of a ceasefire, and participated in a forum dedicated to Franco-Ukrainian drones. L’Express

AD

Tech moves fast, but you're still playing catch-up?

That's exactly why 100K+ engineers working at Google, Meta, and Apple read The Code twice a week.

Here's what you get:

All delivered twice a week in just 2 short emails.

Join 100K+ engineers

IN SHORT
🇮🇱 Israel - 🇵🇸 Palestine • 98 Palestinians have died in Israeli custody since the start of the war in Gaza, according to a report by an Israeli NGO. The increase in deaths, linked to systemic violence and denial of medical care, has been confirmed by former prisoners, a former guard, and medical staff. Chains, beatings, poor conditions, and malnutrition have been reported, with some families struggling to obtain explanations for the deaths of their loved ones. The authorities claim that everything is being done in accordance with the law, but testimonies describe the opposite.

🇱🇧 Lebanon - 🇮🇱 Israel • The Israeli army yesterday fired on members of UNIFIL, the UN interim force, from positions on Lebanese territory, in violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024. Israel has intensified its air strikes and raids in southern Lebanon, claiming that Hezbollah is attempting to rearm. The Lebanese armed forces have promised to complete the disarmament of Hezbollah in the south by the end of 2025, and Washington and Paris are closely monitoring the pace of progress in this area.

🇩🇪 Germany - 🇮🇱 Israel • Berlin announced the lifting of the suspension on certain arms exports to Israel as of November 24, following last month's ceasefire agreement. The exports, initially suspended in August under public pressure, mainly concern equipment that could potentially be used in Gaza. In addition, the German government has indicated that decisions will now be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on developments in the situation.

🇮🇱 Israel • The Israeli government has announced the creation of a commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack, but the decision to entrust the executive branch with leading the investigation has sparked a wave of protest. Nearly three-quarters of the population would have preferred a completely independent commission, including among Netanyahu's supporters.

🇨🇱 Chile • Jeannette Jara, a moderate communist candidate, and José Antonio Kast, an ultra-conservative, have qualified for the second round of the presidential election. Jara came out on top with 26.85% of the vote, followed by Kast with 23.92%, but the latter is now considered the favorite for the second round on December 14. This first round, marked by strong concerns about crime and immigration, saw the radical right move closer to power for the first time since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship.

🇵🇱 Poland • An unprecedented act of sabotage affected a key railway line used for deliveries to Ukraine, causing an explosion near Mika without causing any casualties. Donald Tusk confirmed the seriousness of the incident, linked to an attempt to destabilize the railway infrastructure. Another similar operation was detected near Puławy. The likelihood of foreign involvement is considered very high.

🇨🇳 China - 🇯🇵 Japan • Beijing threatened to impose sanctions and restrict economic and diplomatic relations with Japan after the Japanese Prime Minister's comments on Taiwan. Travel warnings have already impacted businesses in the tourism and commercial sectors, while four Chinese ships have been sent to disputed waters. Tokyo has dispatched a senior diplomat to ease tensions, which could affect important trade between the two countries.

🇪🇨 Ecuador • Ecuadorians rejected the return of foreign military bases in a referendum, according to partial results from the National Electoral Council, with 61% of voters opposed to lifting the ban. President Daniel Noboa, an ally of Washington, has pledged to respect this decision. In addition to this issue, 62% rejected the creation of an assembly to draft a new constitution.

🇧🇩 Bangladesh • A special court has sentenced former leader Sheikh Hasina to death, tried in exile for crimes against humanity related to the deadly crackdown on student protests last year. The capital Dhaka is under high security, while the Awami League, her now-banned party, recently called for a protest lockdown. Hasina, who has been living in exile in New Delhi since August 2024, rejects all charges and calls the trial politically motivated. Interim government leader Muhammad Yunus is attempting to stabilize the country and has promised elections and constitutional reforms for February.