Macron slams stepped-up Russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure

French President Emmanuel Macron Monday condemned Russia ramping up strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, calling it "irresponsible" after speaking with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on ways to bolster support for Kyiv.

Russia has said it plans to increase strikes on infrastructure targets, including in Kyiv, as winter approaches. Although the capital has faced repeated missile and drone attacks throughout the war, it has avoided the level of destruction seen in some frontline areas.

Attacks have hit residential areas, petrol stations, schools, rail and communications infrastructure. Frequent air raid sirens disrupt daily life and put people on edge.

Russia "has made the irresponsible choice to intensify its strikes on civilian infrastructure and targets", Macron said on X.

He said Zelensky and he discussed "the concrete support we can provide" to help Ukraine intercept drones and defend itself against Russia's attacks. He did not provide further details.

"We will yield neither to intimidation nor to Russia's escalation," Macron said, accusing Moscow of "stubbornly refusing all calls for a ceasefire".

Moscow announced at the weekend that it would step up its strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Zelensky has made repeated calls on Ukraine's Western allies for better air-defence weaponry to combat the increasingly deadly barrage of drone and missile strikes.

Kyiv has also expressed interest in producing Patriot missile systems under US licence in the future, though the status of any such arrangement remains unclear.

- Four killed -

On Monday, four people were killed as a result of daytime attacks in Ukraine including two people in the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

Russia over the weekend issued a fresh warning to foreigners and diplomats to leave Kyiv, saying "massive" new airstrikes would hit the capital.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travelled to Kyiv on Sunday to demonstrate his support and pledge additional financial assistance to Ukraine.

For months, both sides have stepped up long-range strikes on civilian and industrial targets, including energy, transport and port infrastructure, as well as ships in the Black Sea.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly dismissed calls for peace talks and accused Ukraine of targeting key infrastructure in Russia.

"They must feel Russia's retaliatory strikes," he told reporters in late September.

Efforts to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II have been at a standstill. Zelensky said on Sunday that Washington had proposed fresh talks with both Ukraine and Russia by the end of the month.

There have been increasing fears in Europe that it could find itself in Russia's crosshairs.

Russian drones carried out a deadly attack on a grain ship in the Black Sea on Monday, Zelensky said, after Romania reported a ship had caught fire and sunk near its coast. Romanian authorities said two crew members died and 11 were rescued in the sinking.