A few additional Mirage jets and Aster missiles will soon be delivered to Ukraine — a rare announcement from the Élysée about military support that has remained largely under wraps since spring 2024. To get a full picture of France’s assistance, one must turn to the latest parliamentary report on arms exports.
This was reported by Force Operation Blog.
France has been notably discreet about its military aid, in contrast to major European backers like Germany, the Netherlands, or Denmark. According to the 2025 report, the total value of French military equipment supplied to Ukraine has reached €5.9 billion, up from €3 billion in May 2024. Another €2.3 billion was contributed to the European Peace Facility, though €1.4 billion of that remains blocked by Hungary.
“The valuation of equipment transferred to Ukraine exceeds €3 billion since the start of the conflict,” Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin told members of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee. In 2024 alone, France issued 533 export licenses — four times more than in 2023.
After the urgency of the first months of the war and the subsequent replenishment of donated stocks, the government report notes that the focus in 2024 shifted to sustaining long-term aid in critical areas such as artillery, long-range strike, and air defense. France provided six 155 mm guns, four artillery systems — likely drawn from the 1st Artillery Regiment’s LRU multiple rocket launchers — and ten 120 mm mortars. The deliveries also included 162 armored combat vehicles and 18 battle tanks, which likely refer to VAB and AMX-10 RC models.
Other shipments covered 22 missiles and launchers for air defense, 4,000 pistols, 300 rifles, 282 machine guns (7.62 mm), 156 heavy machine guns (12.7 mm), and 282 anti-tank systems and rocket launchers. France also imported small arms from Austria and Finland for re-export to Ukraine.
Some of the items listed fall under standard export categories, such as ten unspecified armored vehicles and thirty 155 mm artillery pieces — likely new CAESAR 6×6 howitzers. The report does not specify artillery shell deliveries, but the ammunition category (ML3) includes nine export licenses worth over €1.4 billion.
Despite this support, France’s available stocks are limited.
“We are nearing the end of what we can transfer directly. The next step is industrial partnerships and new financing mechanisms. We’ve invested political capital to secure funding for Ukraine, particularly through G7 initiatives,” Vautrin emphasized.
French assistance extends beyond hardware. Around 19,000 Ukrainian soldiers have already been trained by France, either on French territory or in Poland, under the EU’s EUMAM mission. Training programs include modules on marksmanship instruction, urban warfare, and reconnaissance.
