Macron promises more military aid for Ukraine "in the coming days and weeks"

During a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 14 May, French leader Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia’s recent ramping up of attacks against Ukraine and said France would send additional weapons to Ukraine in the near future.

Zelenskyy and Macron discussed the situation on the frontline and Ukraine’s current needs in terms of weapons and ammunition. Macron "strongly condemned the intensification of Russian strikes on Ukraine, in particular on its energy infrastructure, as well as the current offensive," the French presidential press service said.

Macron also reaffirmed France’s determination to provide, alongside its partners, the support Ukraine needs in the long term to overcome Russia’s war of aggression.

Macron "also spoke in detail about the deliveries [of weapons] that will be made in the coming days and weeks in support of Ukrainian military efforts," the presidential press service also said.

Macron reiterated his proposal for an "Olympic truce" during which Russia would have to cease hostilities and "every diplomatic initiative would be used to start negotiations in line with international law and Ukraine’s lawful interests".

The Ukrainian side said that Zelenskyy and Macron also discussed the latter’s participation in the upcoming Peace Summit in Switzerland.

The US announced a new military aid package for Ukraine to be delivered later this week, following the launch of a Russian offensive in the north of Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast.

UK Defence Intelligence thinks it is unlikely that Russia has built up sufficient capability to capture Kharkiv without deploying additional forces to the region.