Ukraine and nine European countries announce a new coalition to develop and coordinate “purely defensive” anti-ballistic missile capabilities for Europe, responding to what they describe as a growing ballistic missile threat. The effort, set out in a joint declaration, is framed as building a more integrated missile defence architecture through technology development, research and defence industry cooperation. The coalition includes Ukraine and governments from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, according to multiple reports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is reported to be in Paris for meetings with allies, including discussions to reaffirm support for Ukraine and to increase pressure on Russia to end the war, now in its fifth year. Several outlets say the coalition draws on Ukraine’s wartime experience in missile defence.
Some reporting describes the plan as intended to complement existing European defences and enhance multinational interoperability, including through joint exercises. The stated goal across sources is to deter and defeat future missile threats while keeping the coalition strictly defensive in nature.
