Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone again on Tuesday. The two leaders agreed to organize an international conference to support civil resilience this winter, to be held in Paris on December 13.
“Preparatory work will soon begin with Ukraine’s other partners for this purpose,” the Elysée indicates, also announcing “a bilateral conference aimed at mobilizing French companies,” the day before, December 12.
Emmanuel Macron also reiterated to his counterpart “France’s full mobilization to increase its military support to Ukraine as soon as possible, in particular with regard to anti-aircraft defense.”
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned having an “extremely important and productive conversation” with the French president.
He announced on Twitter “specific decisions on strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities” and “specific initiatives to restore the destroyed energy infrastructure.”
Attacks on electrical systems
Russia has been intensifying drone and missile attacks on water and electricity systems in Ukrainian cities since early October, prompting authorities to impose restrictions in some places as a harsh winter approaches for Ukrainians.
“Nearly four million Ukrainians are currently facing these restrictions,” Zelensky said on Friday.
These strikes have destroyed around a third of electricity capacity as winter approaches, according to Ukrainian authorities, who have urged the population to reduce energy consumption as much as possible.
Military and humanitarian aid
Macron had confirmed in early October that Paris was considering sending six weapons Additional Caesars to Ukraine, on top of the 18 already delivered. These cannons, flagship of the French artillery, have a range of 40 kilometers.
France has so far also provided anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, forward armored vehicles (VABs), fuel, individual equipment and around fifteen 155mm TRF1 towed guns. The possibility of delivering 20 Bastion armored vehicles is being studied.
Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu also stated last week that France does not carry out arms transfers “that endanger the French nation.”
“We do it with the pragmatism that leads us to look at the reality of our actions, but also the reality of the advice that our generals give us,” said the minister during a debate on the conflict in the Senate.
Since March 2022, France has also provided several thousand tons of emergency aid (food, health, civil security), housing rehabilitation equipment, emergency bridges and very soon several dozen electric generators.
France is also contributing to the European support effort for Ukraine, currently amounting to €22 billion, as well as through its contributions to the multilateral organizations mobilized for this purpose.
In absolute terms, France is the eighth largest supporter of Ukraine’s combined financial, humanitarian and military aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, an independent think tank based in Kiel, Germany.
Source: BFM TV
