France Will Provide Ukraine With Additional Interceptor Missiles
- 22.08.2026, 21:37
The presidents of the two countries held two hours of talks.
France will step up its support for Ukraine and provide the country with additional interceptor missiles to counter Russia’s ongoing air attacks. This was stated in a statement by French President Emmanuel Macron, published on social media platform X on Saturday, August 22.
According to the French leader, he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on August 22—the day after after Russia launched two drone strikes on the “Sunny Gallery” shopping center in Kryvyi Rih—and “expressed his horror and shock” to him. As a result of that attack, as of August 22, 16 people were killed. Nine people, including two children, are considered missing. A total of 130 people were injured, including 25 children.
“With these attacks, as well as those carried out this week against Kyiv, Russia is continuing its aggressive war and intensifying it,” Macron stated.
“When Russia systematically targets civilians and chooses intimidation and escalation, it undoubtedly wants to demonstrate strength, but instead reveals its weakness,” the French president added. “In this situation, it is absolutely essential to provide Ukraine with all the necessary resources so that it can defend its airspace and repel this aggression.”
According to Macron, he informed Zelenskyy about continued cooperation within the framework of the “anti-ballistic coalition,” the creation of which was agreed upon at a meeting in Paris on July 13 by Germany, Ukraine, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom had agreed to establish at a meeting in Paris on July 13, as well as within the framework of a “declaration of intent,” signed by both leaders on November 17, 2025, in Paris and concerning Kyiv’s future procurement of French Rafale fighter jets and next-generation air defense systems.
“It is essential that these efforts be supported by all countries that have the necessary resources,” Macron emphasized. “We must continue to put pressure on Russia as long as it refuses to stop the fighting and rejects peace.”
Another topic of discussion between the French and Ukrainian presidents, according to Emmanuel Macron, was the meeting of the “coalition of the willing” scheduled for August 24. “Russia is using terror to break Ukraine. It will not succeed. By acting in a united front on Ukraine’s side, we will ensure that right and justice prevail,” Macron wrote at the end of his post.