France accelerates missile deliveries to Ukraine and agrees on domestic production licenses
French President Emmanuel Macron pledged interceptor missiles and weapon production licenses to Ukraine during a two-hour phone call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a deadly strike on Kryvyi Rih.
Bilateral defense agreements
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron held a telephone conversation lasting nearly two hours on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The discussion centered on immediate measures to reinforce Ukrainian airspace protection against Russian drone and missile barrages. The two leaders agreed to accelerate deliveries of advanced French military equipment and missiles, while Macron confirmed Paris is prepared to grant Ukraine production licenses for missile manufacturing. Zelenskyy reported that bilateral talks also covered French air defense capabilities and agreements requiring expedited implementation. Furthermore, Macron pledged to assist Kyiv in diplomatic outreach to international partners that possess interceptor missiles compatible with Patriot air defense batteries. Both presidents also reviewed long-term military financing requirements, coordinating funding frameworks designated for Ukrainian defense expenditures across 2026 and 2027.
Very good conversation with Emmanuel, the President of France. Today we talked for almost two hours about all the most important issues. This primarily concerned the need to strengthen air defense.
The Kryvyi Rih strike and civilian toll
The high-level call followed a Russian attack on a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown in central Ukraine, on Friday evening, August 21, 2026. Russian forces deployed strike drones against the commercial facility, initiating a double-tap assault where a secondary strike targeted rescue crews, firefighters, and medical workers assisting casualties in the rubble. Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defense Council, announced on Saturday morning that the bombardment killed at least 16 people, injured 130 others, and left several individuals missing. Earlier reporting indicated at least 14 dead and over 100 wounded in the initial assessments. Ukrainian and French officials noted that the strike coincided with intensified bombardments targeting the capital city of Kyiv earlier in the week.
Through these attacks and those that took place this week in Kyiv, Russia continues and intensifies the crime of its aggression. By systematically targeting the civilian population, choosing intimidation and escalation, Russia is probably trying to show strength, but in reality it only admits its weakness.
- Russian drones strike a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih in a double-tap attack targeting emergency responders.
- Defense Council head Oleksandr Vilkul confirms at least 16 dead and 130 wounded from the Kryvyi Rih attack.
- Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold a two-hour call agreeing on missile deliveries and manufacturing licenses.
- Emmanuel Macron, Andy Burnham, and Friedrich Merz co-chair the coalition of the willing summit.
Diplomatic contacts and coalition planning
Alongside bilateral consultations with Paris, Ukrainian leadership engaged with Western security representatives in Kyiv on Saturday. President Zelenskyy held talks with retired United States General Keith Kellogg, a former presidential envoy under Donald Trump, who arrived in the capital to address the annual Veterans Forum. Their meeting focused on diplomatic tracks with the United States administration and sustained security cooperation. Western allies plan to convene multilateral discussions on Monday, August 24, 2026, when a summit of the coalition of the willing supporting Ukraine will take place. The conference will be jointly chaired by Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to coordinate defense contributions and maintain international pressure on Moscow.
