Macron at UN General Assembly: more interceptor missiles for Ukraine, 'double moratorium' on strikes
French President Emmanuel Macron used his address at the 81st UN General Assembly on 22 September to press for more air-defence interceptor missiles for Ukraine ahead of winter and to propose a "double moratorium" on strikes against energy and civilian infrastructure and on Black Sea hostilities. He also called for UN Security Council reform, including its expansion with new African members, and backed the Franco-Mexican initiative to limit the veto in cases of mass atrocities.
Key points
- Macron spoke on 22 September during the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
- He said France will work to ensure substantive negotiations between Ukraine and Russia begin as soon as possible.
- He called for more interceptor missiles for Ukraine ahead of winter to protect civilians and the energy sector.
- He proposed a 'double moratorium' on strikes against energy and civilian infrastructure and on hostilities in the Black Sea, aimed at resuming grain supplies.
- He said the world has entered a 'new era of barbarity' marked by mass destruction of civilian infrastructure and the dismantling of Geneva Conventions protections.
- He backed the Franco-Mexican initiative to limit the veto in cases of mass atrocities, joined by 128 countries, and called for UN Security Council reform including African representation.
- France will strengthen Ukraine's air defence by supplying radars and interceptor missiles.
Why it matters
Macron used the UN's main stage to tie Ukraine's winter energy protection to the international agenda, framing interceptor-missile deliveries as an urgent humanitarian priority rather than purely a military question. The "double moratorium" package bundles civilian-infrastructure protection with Black Sea de-escalation in a single offer aimed at restarting grain exports — a move that connects the Ukraine war to global food security. By linking Security Council reform and limits on the veto to the conflict, Macron also framed Ukraine as a test case for broader multilateral governance, while France's own commitment of radars and interceptor missiles adds a concrete European contribution alongside renewed US arms approvals.
What happened
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered his address at the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2026. He said Russia had been waging a brutal war against Ukraine's civilians and occupying the territory of a sovereign state for almost five years, and pledged that France would continue to steadfastly support Ukraine's aspiration for peace, security and a future.
Macron said France would make every effort to ensure substantive negotiations between Ukraine and Russia begin as soon as possible. With winter approaching, he urged the provision of more interceptor missiles to protect Ukrainian civilians and the energy sector, and announced that France would strengthen Ukraine's air defence through the supply of radars and interceptor missiles.
He proposed a so-called "double moratorium": a ban on strikes against energy and civilian infrastructure combined with a halt to hostilities in the Black Sea, which he said would allow the resumption of grain exports and address food-security challenges for transition economies and developing countries. He framed the package as something Russia must face at the negotiating table.
Macron recalled the Coalition of the Willing, created with the United Kingdom, as the framework of states ready to guarantee peace and stability in Europe. He said France would continue to support international mechanisms for gathering evidence and establishing accountability for crimes, including the work of the International Court of Justice. He also called for UN Security Council reform, including expansion with new states and regions, primarily Africa, and backed the Franco-Mexican initiative to limit the veto in cases of mass atrocities, to which 128 countries have already joined. Warning that the world was becoming more divided, he said defeatist rhetoric paves the way for empires that abuse their power and monopolise wealth and technology.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on whether Macron specified the winter ahead as 2026/2027 or referred to winter in general. They also differ on which accountability mechanism he named when pledging continued French support: some accounts cite the International Court of Justice, while at least one cites the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Background
The address took place during the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. In the days before the speech, the US State Department had notified Congress of a potential $29.6 million transfer of 10 PAC-2 GEM-T Patriot missiles from Germany to Ukraine and, on 19 September, approved a possible $2.68 billion sale of air-defence equipment and services to Ukraine. Macron referenced the Coalition of the Willing, created with the United Kingdom, as the framework of states ready to guarantee peace and stability in Europe. A meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States also took place in New York on 22 September, with Donald Trump saying both Zelensky and Putin want to end the war.