KIEV, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that France has agreed to accelerate the delivery of equipment and missiles to Ukraine and will provide licenses for the production of relevant missiles, following a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelensky said in a social media post that he briefed Macron on recent strikes on Ukrainian territory, stressing that air defense systems remain Ukraine's most pressing need. He said Macron expressed readiness to help facilitate communication between Ukraine and other partner countries that have the necessary missiles for the Patriot air defense system.
Macron also posted on social media that he was shocked by the heavy civilian casualties caused by a strike on a shopping center in Ukraine. He said he had confirmed with Zelensky that France would step up support for Ukraine's air defense capabilities, in particular by providing interceptor missiles.
According to Ukrainian national news agency Ukrinform, Russian drone strikes hit a shopping center and other facilities in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, killing at least 16 people and wounding 130 others. ■
