French president backs US approval for Ukraine’s missile use

By Nur Asena Erturk

French President Emmanuel Macron praised the United States for allowing Ukraine to target Russian military positions with missiles.

“Our duty is to help Ukraine resist,” Macron told reporters Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Calling the US decision “good,” Macron added: “I understand that it was provoked by a deep change in this conflict, that must not be underestimated, which is the involvement of the North Korean troops on Russia’s side, on a European territory.”

Macron also labeled Russia’s agreement with North Korea as “escalatory” and referred to it as a “rupture” in the conflict.

On Sunday, outgoing US President Joe Biden authorized Kyiv to use American-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for "limited strikes" within Russian territory.

The decision came after repeated requests by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and allegations that North Korea is aiding Russia’s war effort.

US President-elect Donald Trump, set to assume office in January, has been critical of the level of US support for Ukraine and has pledged to bring an end to the war that began in 2022.

The US, South Korea, and Ukraine have accused North Korea of deploying troops to Kursk to fight alongside Russian forces, though Pyongyang has yet to confirm these claims.