Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French Emmanuel Macron reached a significant agreement on ballistic defense cooperation during a phone call on Saturday, May 16. This initiative aims to bolster Ukraine’s air defense in light of intensified Russian attacks.
Zelensky expressed gratitude to Macron on his official Facebook page for his clear condemnation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities. “These attacks highlight what Russia is and why we must strengthen our collective defense against all threats,” Zelensky stated.
The agreement follows alarming reports submitted ahead of an upcoming emergency session of the United Nations Security Council. According to Ukrainian diplomatic data, Russian forces fired approximately 16 advanced ballistic missiles and 600 attack drones at residential and industrial areas in a short period, resulting in over 40 civilian casualties.
France’s commitment to ballistic defense signals its readiness to potentially supply or co-develop advanced interception systems like the SAMP/T system, capable of tracking and destroying high-speed ballistic trajectories.
