The United Kingdom has joined a new European air defence coalition alongside nine other countries, including Ukraine, in a move aimed at strengthening the continent’s protection against growing ballistic missile threats.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine at the Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris, where they formally launched the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition.
Strengthening Europe’s Missile Shield
According to a statement from the French presidency, the initiative seeks to develop an integrated missile defence architecture capable of deterring and countering future ballistic missile attacks through joint technological development and industrial cooperation.
The coalition said the project will complement existing national and European missile defence systems while encouraging participating countries to work together on future capabilities.
The announcement comes as Ukraine continues to face intensified Russian missile attacks, placing increasing pressure on its air defence network.
Ukraine Pushes for Greater Air Defence Support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the summit alongside approximately 25 European leaders, urging allies to accelerate military assistance and strengthen long-term security cooperation.
Ukraine has repeatedly warned that it is running low on interceptor missiles needed to defend against ballistic attacks, which travel at extremely high speeds and are more difficult to intercept than conventional missiles.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and surrounding regions, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread damage. Russia maintains that its military operations target infrastructure linked to Ukraine’s armed forces and denies deliberately attacking civilians.
Freyja Air Defence Project Unveiled
Ahead of the summit, Zelensky announced progress on the Freyja Project, a European-backed initiative designed to develop a more affordable air defence system to complement existing platforms such as the U.S.-made Patriot missile system.
Following the coalition’s announcement, Zelensky said Freyja is intended to strengthen Europe’s overall air defence rather than replace existing systems.
He added that the project aims to provide broader protection across Europe while reducing costs and accelerating deployment.
Defence Industry Collaboration
The summit also brought together leading European defence manufacturers to explore ways of expanding missile defence capabilities.
Among the companies participating were Eurosam, the manufacturer of the Franco-Italian SAMP-T air defence system, alongside Leonardo, Thales, Saab, and Ukrainian defence company Fire Point.
French officials said discussions also focused on increasing the availability of U.S.-made Patriot missile interceptors and speeding up the deployment of additional SAMP-T systems across Europe.
Pressure on Russia Continues
Beyond military cooperation, coalition members discussed additional measures to increase economic pressure on Russia.
Leaders examined ways to disrupt Moscow’s revenue streams, including efforts to curb the activities of the so-called “shadow fleet”—oil tankers with opaque ownership structures allegedly used to transport Russian oil while bypassing international restrictions.
The European Union is also expected to consider a new package of sanctions targeting Russia in the coming days.
Joint Military Exercises Planned
The coalition further announced plans for joint military exercises aimed at improving coordination among participating nations and strengthening preparations for a potential future multinational support force for Ukraine.
French officials stressed that the planned exercises will involve land, air, sea and training operations conducted outside Ukrainian territory to enhance operational readiness without deploying troops inside the country.
The launch of the new air defence coalition marks another step in Europe’s efforts to reinforce collective security while maintaining long-term support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
