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French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday sharply condemned Russia's decision to intensify attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, calling the choice "irresponsible" and vowing that Europe would not bow to Moscow's escalating campaign of long-range strikes.
In a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron said the two leaders reviewed the specific forms of support that European partners can extend to Kyiv to help it intercept drones and defend its cities and critical facilities against Russian bombardment.
Writing on the social media platform X, Macron said Russia "has made the irresponsible choice to intensify its strikes on civilian infrastructure and targets." He added that France and its allies "will yield neither to intimidation nor to Russia's escalation," accusing Moscow of "stubbornly refusing all calls for a ceasefire."
The French leader's remarks came after Moscow announced over the weekend that it would step up strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure as winter approaches, a move that threatens to leave millions of civilians without heating and electricity during the coldest months of the year.
Zelensky has repeatedly appealed to Ukraine's Western allies for more advanced air-defence weaponry to counter the increasingly deadly barrage of drone and missile attacks. Kyiv has also expressed interest in producing Patriot missile systems under US licence in the future, although the status of any such arrangement remains unclear.
Over the weekend, Russia issued a fresh warning to foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv, saying "massive" new airstrikes would target the capital. The warning underscored the growing sense of urgency in the Ukrainian capital, where drone and missile activity has disrupted daily life and damaged key infrastructure, including bridges.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelled to Kyiv on Sunday to demonstrate his support and pledge additional financial assistance to Ukraine, a visit that coincided with Russian strikes on the capital. The trip was widely seen as a signal of continued European backing at a moment when diplomatic efforts to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II have stalled.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have vowed to intensify long-range attacks against military and related targets, leaving little room for negotiation. The standstill in peace efforts has raised concerns that the war, now in its fifth year, could drag on well into the next winter and beyond.
Macron's condemnation came as Russian drones carried out a deadly attack on a grain ship in the Black Sea, according to Zelensky. Romania reported that a ship had caught fire and sunk near its coast, with two crew members killed. Zelensky described the incident as "a horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn," noting that the ship was Turkish-owned and that Azerbaijani and Indian nationals were aboard.
Romanian authorities said two crew had died and 11 were rescued after the 139-metre (455-foot) vessel, the Royad Mammadov, caught fire in the Black Sea, which has increasingly become a battlefield for drone attacks in the Russia-Ukraine war. The interior ministry said the ship sank about 30 nautical miles south of the fishing port of Sfantu Gheorghe.
"At around 11:00, coast guard border police officers were informed that a fire had broken out on board a commercial vessel located within Romania's exclusive economic zone," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "eleven crew members have been rescued. Two deceased persons have also been identified." Zelensky said the ship's captain was killed in the strike.
The attack on the grain vessel highlights the mounting risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, a vital corridor for Ukrainian agricultural exports. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, drone activity has become increasingly frequent across eastern Europe, with Ukraine and neighbouring NATO member Romania relying more and more on drone warfare.
Turkey has expressed concern over the attacks on Black Sea shipping, and Turkish seafarers have staged protests over deaths suffered in such strikes. The incident also raises questions about the safety of neutral shipping lanes and the potential for further escalation involving NATO member states bordering the conflict zone.
The sinking of the Royad Mammadov is likely to intensify pressure on Western capitals to bolster Ukraine's air-defence capabilities and to consider additional measures to protect commercial vessels in international waters. It also underscores the broader risks that the war poses to global food security, given Ukraine's role as a major exporter of grain to markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Macron's phone call with Zelensky and his public rebuke of Moscow reflect a renewed push by European leaders to present a united front against Russian aggression. Yet the diplomatic track remains frozen, with both sides committed to military escalation and no clear path toward a ceasefire.
As winter approaches, Ukraine's energy grid is once again a prime target, evoking memories of previous winters when Russian strikes left millions without power. The coming months will test the resilience of Ukraine's defences and the willingness of its allies to sustain and expand their support.
*(FRANCE 24 with AFP)*
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