French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday that Paris will deliver advanced interceptor missiles to Ukraine, bolstering Kyiv’s air defences which have been stretched thin by a recent wave of devastating Russian attacks.
The announcement follows a deadly Russian drone strike on a shopping centre in eastern Ukraine on Friday, which killed at least 16 people and injured more than 100. Writing on X, Macron expressed his “horror” at the assault on Kryvyi Rig, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“By systematically targeting civilians, and by choosing intimidation and escalation, Russia is probably seeking to project strength but is above all signalling an admission of weakness,” Macron wrote in a post. “In this context, it is crucial to provide Ukraine with all necessary means to defend its airspace and repel this aggression.”
The French president informed Zelensky that France would increase its military support, including the deployment of specialized interceptor missiles to protect Ukrainian skies. In a separate post, Zelensky confirmed he spoke with Macron in a two-hour phone call on Saturday, focusing heavily on Ukraine’s critical need for air defence capabilities.
“We agreed to accelerate the delivery of the latest French equipment and missiles,” Zelensky stated, expressing gratitude to Macron for confirming France’s readiness to provide licenses for the domestic production of missiles.
Ukraine allies to meet
The horrific attack on Kryvyi Rig drew swift condemnation across Europe, with Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, labeling the incident as “terror by design.” The assault is part of a broader intensification of Russian bombardments targeting Ukrainian urban centres, exploiting critical shortages in US-made Patriot air defence interceptors—the only systems currently in Kyiv’s arsenal capable of neutralizing ballistic missiles.
According to the United Nations, the civilian casualty count in Ukraine in 2026 has reached its highest level since the early months of the conflict, driven largely by long-range strikes on cities far from the frontlines. In response, Ukraine has escalated its retaliatory strikes within Russian territory, aiming to increase pressure on Moscow to negotiate.
Kyiv has repeatedly appealed to its international allies for urgent additional support as Russia intensifies its aerial campaigns. Macron, alongside key allies, will co-chair a high-level meeting of the “coalition of the willing” on Monday to coordinate future defence initiatives. Macron’s office stated that leaders at the summit will reiterate their unwavering determination to strengthen support for Ukraine, ensuring it can effectively defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression.
(with newswires)
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