Ukraine and nine European countries have agreed to establish a new coalition aimed at developing a shared ballistic missile defence system, marking a major step towards strengthening Europe’s collective security amid the continuing war with Russia.
The announcement was made on Monday during a high-level meeting in Paris attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
As per a statement issued by the involved countries, the idea is to have an integrated system of missile defence to shield Europe from the increasing threats of ballistic missiles. The joint statement read, “We aim to create a common missile defence system for Europe.” It also mentioned that the experience gained by Ukraine in the war with Russia over the period of four years would be used in implementing the initiative.
Europe seeks stronger missile shield
The coalition stated that ballistic missiles are proving to be a progressively more serious security issue compared to drones and cruise missiles because they are much more complex to intercept.
Leaders pointed out the need for Europe to create a uniform defence system capable of preventing future missile attacks even when Europe recognises that Ukraine has mastered its high level of defence against the massive Russian attacks.
The initiative announced is left open for other nations to join even though the timeframe for its implementation is still unknown.
Zelenskyy pushes for stronger air defences
President Zelenskyy used the Paris summit to urge European allies to accelerate efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence capabilities ahead of winter, when Russia has historically intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials also presented a proposed Anti Ballistic Programme to government representatives, defence companies and national security advisers, seeking broader cooperation on advanced missile defence technologies.
The announcement comes shortly after US President Donald Trump signalled support for allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air defence systems under licence, although military experts caution that such production could take several years.
Russia dismisses new alliance
The Kremlin criticised the initiative, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing the group as a “coalition of warmongers” and accusing European nations of pursuing unrealistic ambitions to weaken Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also warned that Moscow would respond forcefully to recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory.
“Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin said during a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.
Ukraine claims major strikes on Russian logistics
While diplomacy was pursued in Paris, Ukraine announced that its military had damaged 105 Russian ships in the Sea of Azov between July 6 and July 13 due to its ongoing efforts to interfere with Russian military supply efforts in occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian reports indicated vessels such as tankers, cargo ships, tugs, and ferries were damaged. There was no immediate response from the Russian government on the claims, which have not been confirmed independently.
At the same time Russia claimed that it intercepted many Ukrainian drones that targeted Moscow, while Ukraine claimed new Russian drone and missile attacks were observed in various regions.
Europe signals long term commitment
The meeting in Paris, organized in the framework of the “Coalition of the Willing” and attended by more than 30 countries, proved the position of Europe to keep providing military and political support to Ukraine in spite of the prolonged conflict.
European political leaders noted that better collaboration in missile defense would improve regional security and help Ukraine fight against the ongoing attacks from Russia, as the process of peace negotiations is still stalled.