Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested more air defenses in a call with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, saying Russia was taking advantage of distracted world attention to attack Ukraine. France is a significant military backer of Ukraine.
The country has been embroiled in a political crisis since last year, when Macron called snap elections, hoping to secure a majority but instead left parliament paralyzed between multiple parties.
"I spoke with President Emmanuel Macron (...) I informed him about our priority needs – first and foremost, air defense systems and missiles," Zelensky said in a Facebook post.
"Russia is now taking advantage of the moment – the fact that the Middle East and domestic issues in every country are getting maximum attention," the Ukrainian leader added.
Russia has pummelled Ukraine's energy grid in recent days, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians ahead of winter. Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's three-and-a-half-year invasion have stalled in recent months.
Zelensky also spoke with American President Donald Trump on Sunday, for the second time in two days, calling their conversation "very productive."
"We covered all the aspects of the situation: defense of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities – in air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities," Zelensky said in a post on X.