Macron made the announcement on Saturday, August 22, 2026, after fresh Russian strikes in Ukraine killed four people, including two children.
The attacks came a day after another wave of strikes killed at least 20 people across Ukraine, including 16 who died when drones targeted a crowded shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Following the attacks, Macron said it was essential for Ukraine to receive the means to protect its airspace and defend itself against continued attacks on its territory.
France has been among the European countries supporting Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale military invasion. The planned delivery of air defence missiles is aimed at helping Ukraine counter the continuing missile and drone attacks targeting its cities and critical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and its European allies were expected to hold a virtual meeting to discuss ways of increasing pressure on Russia to end the war.
The United Nations has said that civilian casualties in the war have reached their highest levels this year compared with the early months of the conflict.
