France will deliver Aster anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine “within the next few days” as well as Mirage fighter jets, the Emmanuel Macron with him Volodymyr Zelensky to request long-range weapons.
“We will deliver in the next few days additional Aster missiles, new Mirages and new training programs,” Emmanuel Macron said without elaborating to the leaders of the Alliance of the Ready and Volodymyr Zelensky.
So far France has given Ukraine three of the six Mirage 2000s it had promised, mainly for the training needs of Ukrainian pilots. One of them was shot down in July.
The Aster 15 and 30 missiles are manufactured in collaboration with Italy and operate with the SAMP/T MAMBA air defense system, the Italo-French counterpart of the US PATRIOT system. The two European countries have given an unspecified number of missiles to the Ukrainians, but they are asking for more for their defense.
“It is very important to continue the effort to support Ukraine and the pressure on Russia,” Macron stressed to the leaders of the Alliance of the Ready.
This meeting is co-chaired by Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Zelensky asked the “Alliance of the Willing” for long-range weapons
President Volodymyr Zelensky today (October 24) urged Kiev’s allies in the so-called “Alliance of the Willing” to arm Ukraine with long-range weapons to pressure Russia into opening negotiations to end the war.
Ukraine is using its means to strike energy and military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory and has requested long-range Tomahawk missiles from the United States to increase pressure on Moscow, but has yet to obtain them.
“As soon as (Russian President Vladimir) Putin felt pressure and the possibility of Tomahawks in Ukraine, he immediately declared his readiness to restart talks,” Zelensky said in London.
The Ukrainian president calls for sanctions on Russian oil companies
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Kiev’s allies to impose sanctions on all Russian oil companies, their shadow fleet and terminals to disrupt Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.
Zelensky speaking in London together with some leaders of the so-called “Alliance of Ships” said that Russia – which is attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – is trying to use the coming winter as a tool to put pressure on Ukraine.
“Peace is born from the pressure exerted on the aggressor,” said Zelesny.