Russia Escalates in Ukraine: Macron, Allies Call for Ceasefire and Security Guarantees Amid Mounting Civilian Toll
French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply condemned Russia’s latest wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, accusing Moscow of locking itself into a strategy of escalation that defies peace efforts and threatens the wider security of Europe.
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I condemn in the strongest possible terms the massive strikes that targeted Ukraine this night, particularly its energy and railway infrastructure, Macron said in a social media post, warning that Russia “is not seeking peace” and must be pressured into negotiations.
The French president stressed that Ukraine could rely on the "unwavering support" of France and its partners, reiterating the role of the Volunteers’ Coalition in advancing discussions on security guarantees—without which, Macron stated, “there will be no robust and lasting peace.”
His statement followed one of the most intense attacks of the war to date. According to reports in Western media, Russia launched 653 suicide drones and 51 missiles targeting Ukrainian energy grids and transport hubs early Friday.
Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted 585 drones and 29 cruise missiles, but failed to neutralize any of the three Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. Strikes hit power plants in Lviv and Bila Tserkva, and disrupted railway operations in Kyiv’s Fastiv region.
Additional infrastructure was damaged in the Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, and Chernihiv regions.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that the strikes were a retaliatory measure in response to what it called “terrorist attacks” on civilian targets inside Russian territory.
The ministry said the operation involved Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and long-range UAVs aimed at Ukrainian military-industrial targets and port infrastructure.
According to the Russian military, the objectives were achieved and “all designated objects were hit.” The attacks extended across 152 districts and targeted temporary troop deployments, arms warehouses, and foreign mercenaries.
On the battlefield, Russian forces claimed the elimination of approximately 1,450 Ukrainian troops in a single day across multiple sectors, including in the Donetsk People's Republic, where forces of Battlegroup Center reportedly advanced in Dimitrov.
In parallel, Russian air defense systems claimed to have downed 366 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones and two U.S.-made HIMARS rockets.
The barrage prompted a coordinated response from the international community.
In Vienna, following the OSCE Ministerial Council, 42 states—including all EU members, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, and several non-EU European nations—issued a joint statement condemning Russia’s strikes as deliberate war crimes.
The statement emphasized that attacks on energy infrastructure, particularly those critical to nuclear facility safety, posed unacceptable nuclear risks and violated international humanitarian law.
“These attacks represent a direct threat to nuclear safety and increase the risk of a nuclear accident with potentially severe consequences for Ukraine and beyond,” the signatories warned, citing provisions of the Geneva Conventions and calling for legal accountability.
The group reaffirmed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and called for “an immediate ceasefire” and meaningful engagement from Russia in good-faith negotiations.
The international rebuke also underscored Ukraine’s resilience, with several countries pledging to support reconstruction of its civilian infrastructure and share best practices on critical infrastructure protection.
The convergence of NATO and OSCE partners on legal, political, and material support is being framed not only as a commitment to Ukraine, but as a response to what Macron described as “the security of Europe as a whole” being at stake.
As efforts intensify behind the scenes—including American mediation currently underway—Macron’s upcoming summit in London with key European leaders is likely to focus on tangible progress toward ceasefire terms and longer-term guarantees for Ukraine.
The White House has not commented publicly on the latest airstrikes, but U.S. Vice President JD Vance previously acknowledged that a settlement to the conflict remains a top American priority.
For now, with winter descending and civilian infrastructure crumbling under fire, the humanitarian costs of the conflict are once again on grim display.