President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to accelerate the delivery of advanced French military equipment and missiles following a nearly two-hour phone call on Aug. 22.
Zelensky stated that the discussions primarily focused on Ukraine’s air defense requirements amid ongoing Russian strikes. Macron expressed readiness to assist in communications with international partners that possess Patriot missile systems.
The Ukrainian president also confirmed France’s willingness to issue licenses for domestic missile production in Ukraine.
Additionally, the two leaders discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts, including coordination with the US team, and outlined steps to create further diplomatic opportunities.
They also addressed the financial requirements for Ukraine’s defense in 2026 and 2027 and identified bilateral defense agreements that require expedited processing.
Shifting drone strategy and French intelligence support
The discussions on advanced weaponry follow reports that French intelligence has been actively supporting Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities.
According to a Financial Times report, Ukrainian officials stated that intelligence provided by France and the US has helped map Russian air-defense deployments, identifying routes that allow Ukrainian drones to evade interception and reach targets deep inside Russia.
This intelligence sharing coincides with a shift in Ukraine’s long-range drone campaign against Russia’s energy industry. Ukrainian military planners and drone operators told the Financial Times that the strategy has moved away from simply starting fires at refineries.
Instead, the focus is now on targeting critical, hard-to-replace components to keep plants offline for longer periods and increase the financial cost to Moscow.
Target selection is currently guided by detailed technical analysis. Before missions, drone units receive briefings from energy engineers and industry experts who identify indispensable components – such as specific pipelines, equipment connections, or chimneys – that require the most time to replace.
Because Russia and Ukraine utilize similar Soviet-designed energy systems, Ukrainian engineers possess a detailed understanding of the operational vulnerabilities within Russian facilities.
Furthermore, Ukrainian drone units have begun conducting repeated strikes on the same critical nodes before or shortly after repairs are completed, preventing the facilities from resuming operations. President Zelensky recently instructed Ukraine’s military leadership to further expand this deep-strike campaign.