The expansion of Mirage 2000-5 deliveries to Ukraine is still under discussion in Paris. This is confirmed by French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement that these aircraft could be transferred by "third countries that operate them." However, this is essentially a repetition of the earlier concept of the Mirage 2000 Coalition, which Macron mentioned as soon as he announced the transfer of these fighters to Ukraine in the summer of 2024.
Despite the passage of time, no other country operating Mirage 2000 has publicly expressed readiness to reinforce Ukraine with these jets. It is worth recalling the full list of Mirage 2000 operators, excluding France, which had around 27 Mirage 2000-5F fighters before delivering 3–6 units to Ukraine, with approximately 20 in combat-ready condition:
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- Egypt: 15 Mirage 2000EM, 4 Mirage 2000BM
- Greece: 5 Mirage 2000EG, 24 Mirage 2000-5/Mk II
- India: 44 Mirage 2000H/I, 11 Mirage 2000TH/TI
- Peru: 10 Mirage 2000P, 2 Mirage 2000DP
- Qatar: 9 Mirage 2000-5EDA, 3 Mirage 2000-5DDA
- Taiwan: 45 Mirage 2000-5EI, 9 Mirage 2000-5DI
- UAE: 44 Mirage 2000-9/EAD/RAD, 15 Mirage 2000-9DAD
In total, there are 240 Mirage 2000 fighter jets in service across seven countries. However, this list can be immediately reduced by excluding India, which is unlikely to transfer its aircraft to Ukraine. This is not only due to its active defense cooperation with russia, including the purchase of russian Kalibr missiles, but also because India modernized its Mirage 2000s with Israeli assistance - Israel strictly prohibits the re-export of its military equipment to Ukraine.
Egypt would also face difficulties in transferring its Mirage 2000s, as the country has a significant amount of Soviet and russian weaponry in service and is unlikely to risk deteriorating relations with Moscow.
Taiwan is not in a security position to part with its fighter jets. Peru’s Mirage 2000s, meanwhile, have a rather questionable status as combat-capable aircraft.
However, Greece might have reconsidered its stance. Athens previously attempted to sell its Mirage 2000-5s to India but failed, and in two years, these jets will become non-operational. Additionally, France could offer a circular supply arrangement, as Greece already operates Rafale fighters and may be interested in acquiring additional units.
A similar "trade-in" deal is possible with Middle Eastern countries. Qatar, which operates modernized Mirage 2000-5EDA fighters, is awaiting the delivery of 36 Rafale jets. Meanwhile, the UAE, which has the most advanced Mirage 2000-9 variant, has placed an order for 80 Rafales.
If Emmanuel Macron continues to mention the possibility of additional aircraft transfers by third countries, it is highly likely that such negotiations are already underway.
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