Europe Suddenly Has a New Defence Alliance, a NATO Rival?
Ukraine together with a number of key European allies officially launched a new air defence coalition. The coalition aims to develop a new generation of anti-ballistic missile systems as a cheaper alternative to the American-made Patriot system. The move comes as Russian ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian territory intensify and Kyiv’s air defence ammunition stocks continue to dwindle. The announcement was made at a meeting of national leaders in Paris on Monday.
Ten countries along with around a dozen defence industry companies attended the meeting to advance the formation of the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. In a joint statement, the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom stressed the need for an integrated missile defence system to face future threats. The statement clarified that the new system will complement existing ballistic missile defence systems, including European defence solutions already owned or to be acquired by participating nations.
The launch comes as Ukraine faces significant pressure from increased Russian ballistic missile attacks. Kyiv has been urging allies to send more air defence systems while jointly developing a European-made anti-missile system. President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the meeting alongside around 25 national leaders in a broader forum called the Coalition of the Willing, which aims to formulate a common position towards Russia and prepare security guarantees should a peace deal be reached in the future. The Paris meeting took place just days after a NATO summit that sought to demonstrate transatlantic unity and long-term support for Ukraine.
The coalition’s main focus is the ‘Freyja’ project, a Ukrainian-led effort to build an anti-ballistic missile defence system supported by European nations at a lower cost than the Patriot. Zelensky stated that the greater Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, the greater the chance President Vladimir Putin will return to the negotiating table. He explained the system would be built like Lego, combining the expertise of various European defence firms, and expressed optimism it could be operational within 12 months. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the project would also foster closer cooperation among Europe’s defence industries.
Beyond the Freyja project, participants discussed efforts to acquire more Patriot interceptor missiles from the United States and accelerate the deployment of the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defence system. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Ukraine has ordered the latest generation SAMP/T system and revealed a landmark decision allowing Ukraine to produce interceptor missiles for the SAMP/T systems it already operates. Ukraine was also granted licences to produce precision-guided bombs and long-range SCALP cruise missiles, marking the first time France has given Ukraine such production capabilities. Macron also confirmed Ukraine would receive 16 Rafale fighter jets between 2028 and 2029. The coalition further announced plans to hold joint military exercises in participating countries.