France, March 17 -- Framing SAMP/T as "the only alternative in Europe" to the US-made Patriot, Zelensky said Ukraine would receive a new SAMP/T battery from France this year and test it specifically against ballistic missiles.

Zelensky made the announcement at a press conference in Kyiv after returning from a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. 

If the system proves it can reliably bring down such high‑speed threats, he argued, it would offer Kyiv not just vital battlefield protection, but a long‑term European solution at a time when US support remains uncertain.

The deal was initially signed in November 2025, during a visit of Zelensky to France, which included the potential procurement from France...