Macron promises Zelensky missiles for air defence and help negotiating with other countries

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced new military support for Ukraine. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a phone call Macron promised that France would help Ukraine negotiate with other countries that hold scarce interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems.

Ukraine, which has been fending off the Russian invasion since February 2022, has recently been struggling to intercept ballistic missile attacks. Reports point to a shortage of ammunition for Patriot systems as the reason.

"It is essential to give Ukraine everything it needs to defend its airspace and repel aggression. I told President Zelensky that we are stepping up our support with deliveries of anti-missile missiles," Macron wrote on X.

Triggered by the strike on Kryvyi Rih

The French president linked the decision to Friday's Russian strike on a shopping centre in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. According to local authorities, at least 16 people were killed and more than 130 were injured.

"We agreed to speed up deliveries of new French equipment and missiles," Zelensky said of his conversation with Macron. "I'm grateful for the confirmation of readiness to grant licences for missile production," he added.

Zelensky said the call with Macron lasted around two hours, with air defence as the main topic of discussion.

Awaiting the new SAMP/T-NG system

According to Reuters, Ukraine is expecting delivery of the new Franco-Italian SAMP/T-NG air defence system, which experts say is capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. European diplomats had previously told the agency that Ukraine would not receive the system before next spring.

Source: seznamzpravy.cz