Ukraine war briefing: Macron focuses on delivery of missile interceptors as Russian attacks intensify

French president is working on European alternatives to US Patriot missile system and expresses ‘horror’ at deadly attack on shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih. What we know on day 1,642 French president Emmanuel Macron has promised to strengthen support for Ukraine with the delivery of interceptor missiles after a call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which they discussed Kyiv’s shortage of air defences. The move comes amid a surge in Russian strikes that have pushed civilian deaths in the war to their highest since the first months of Moscow’s invasion. Macron said they would continue to work with the Anti-Missile Coalition launched at a meeting in Paris on July. The coalition consists of 10 European countries that are developing an anti-ballistic missile system as a cheaper alternative ⁠to the US Patriots. At that time, Macron said France would advance the deployment of the new SAMP/T ​system to Ukraine and license Kyiv to manufacture ​the interceptor missiles, as well as the ​SCALP long-range cruise missile and other munitions. Speaking on the Telegram app, Zelenskyy said: “We agreed to accelerate the delivery of the latest French equipment and missiles,” without providing furt