Zelenskyy announced new radars and SAMP/T systems from France
This fall, Ukraine is set to receive new radars for its air defense system from France, as well as additional SAMP/T systems. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke about negotiations regarding Aster 30 missiles, Patriot deliveries, and joint weapons production in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said that during his conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, he discussed, in particular, further strengthening Ukraine’s air defense. According to him, France is preparing to transfer new radars to Ukraine. They are expected to arrive this fall. “I just spoke with President Macron for nearly two hours. We discussed various issues: from negotiations to the SAMP/T system. First: we are expecting new air defense radars from the French side, and we will receive them this fall,” Zelenskyy said.
The president also noted that Ukraine expects to receive another air defense system this fall. A third system may be delivered later, with the timing dependent on production rates.
More missiles are needed for the SAMP/T
Separately, Zelenskyy discussed the situation with the French-Italian SAMP/T systems. According to him, the main problem remains the insufficient number of Aster 30 missiles. “‘There aren’t enough Aster missiles, even though they’re being produced. We have a major contract, and we’ll be able to pay for it with a European loan,’” the president noted.
Ukraine already has the necessary agreements in place and plans to increase the number of missiles for these systems. According to Zelenskyy, new contracts for the production of additional Aster 30 missiles are set to be signed in September. “In September, we will sign the relevant contracts for the production of even more ‘Aster’ missiles. This is very important for us. When the European funds arrive, we will be able to pay for these missiles,” the head of state said.
Looking ahead, Ukraine wants not only to purchase such munitions but also to expand their production. To this end, Kyiv is also working to obtain the necessary licenses. Zelenskyy expressed hope that Ukraine will be able to obtain licenses from France this year to manufacture three types of weapons on Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine is negotiating for hundreds of Patriot missiles
The president also spoke about negotiations regarding the American Patriot systems. According to him, an agreement was reached with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to receive 600 PAC-2 missiles in 2027–2028. “The PAC-2 can also shoot down ballistic missiles; we just need more missiles,” Zelenskyy explained.
At the same time, Ukraine is continuing negotiations with the United States regarding additional deliveries. The President noted that the U.S. plans to significantly increase missile production in the second half of 2027 and beyond. At the same time, Ukraine wants to receive the necessary quantities sooner, as the need for such missiles remains high.
“The Americans are significantly ramping up production in the second half of 2027 and beyond. But that’s still some time away, unfortunately. That’s why we’re continuing to discuss the required quantities with them now,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine is advancing its own anti-ballistic missile projects
Another area of focus is the development of new capabilities to counter ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy reported that the joint European-Ukrainian FREYJA project is already moving from political agreements to practical implementation. The companies participating in the project are beginning to work on technical solutions.
“Our anti-ballistic efforts have several strands. One of them is the European strand—our joint project with Europe, FREYJA. We are counting on this program heavily,” the president said. The project aims to combine Ukrainian missile development with European radars, sensors, and control systems. European defense companies, including Eurosam, Leonardo, Thales, and Saab, are already involved in the work.
Ukraine Wants to Develop Missiles for the Patriot System
Another area of focus is cooperation with the American company Raytheon to develop a Ukrainian missile for the Patriot system. According to Zelenskyy, the American side responded positively to this idea and identified the Ukrainian company Fire Point as a potential partner for the project. “I met with Raytheon in the U.S. We agreed to move forward with this project. Following that, they already held their first technical meeting with the Ukrainian side to discuss the details,” the president said.
Ukraine is now awaiting a response from the American side. According to Zelenskyy, it may come in the coming weeks. “I think we’ll get a response in the coming weeks. We’ll get a response regarding the timeline and whether the project will or won’t work out,” the head of state noted.
Thus, Ukraine is simultaneously working on several fronts: receiving ready-made systems and radars from partners, increasing its stockpiles of missiles for the Patriot and SAMP/T systems, and attempting to develop its own production of air defense and missile defense systems.
Russia has not ruled out the theoretical possibility of an offensive from the Bryansk region toward the Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. At the same time, no Russian troops have been detected in the Bryansk region along this route, although the Ukrainian military has spotted Russian military equipment along the border.
Ukrainian defense forces have almost completely liberated the Dnipropetrovsk region from Russian troops. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, approximately 10 square kilometers remain under Russian control—three small villages where, as the president asserts, there are virtually no Russian troops left.
