Nine European countries and Ukraine have announced the creation of a coalition to develop missile defense. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Euronews.
A joint declaration was signed by Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The initiative's participants stated their intention to develop an integrated missile defense system capable of protecting Europe from future ballistic threats.
"We believe that the defense of Europe requires a comprehensive solution in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture capable of deterring and repelling future missile threats," the joint statement said.
The coalition was announced at a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris, which brought together representatives from nearly 30 countries supporting Ukraine. The main topics of negotiations were further aid to Kyiv, strengthening European security, and additional measures to pressure Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also arrived in France, held bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to the Ukrainian leader, the sides discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defense system and developing European capabilities in missile defense.
The Élysée Palace reported that meeting participants aim to achieve a ceasefire and resume peace negotiations. The new commitments complement decisions made earlier at G7 and NATO summits, where allies agreed to allocate €70 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2026.
Speaking at the meeting, the Ukrainian president announced that the new anti-ballistic program is called FREYJA. According to him, within the next 12 months, participating countries plan to jointly develop a system and missiles to protect Europe from ballistic threats.
As Euronews notes, the "Coalition of the Willing" now unites 37 states. Moldova and North Macedonia joined the initiative for the first time.
The Ukrainian president also reported that Kyiv and US President Donald Trump have reached an agreement on licenses for the production of Patriot systems. According to Zelensky, the sides are now working to implement this agreement.
The Kremlin, commenting on the meeting in Paris, called it a "coalition of war supporters" and claimed that its participants are allegedly not interested in achieving peace.
On the eve of Bastille Day, Emmanuel Macron stated that Europe is ready to independently ensure its security and defend freedom "at any cost." According to him, in the coming years, European countries intend to significantly strengthen their own defense capabilities.