Ukraine and allies set up coalition to tackle Russia ballistic missile threat
by John Ireland
PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) – Ukraine and major Western allies announced on Monday they have formed an air defense coalition that will include joint development of a new anti-ballistic missile system as an alternative and cheaper solution to the U.S. Patriot system.
With Ukraine increasingly exposed to Russian ballistic missiles, leaders gathered in Paris for a summit in which 10 countries, along with about a dozen companies from the defense sector, came together to pursue what they call the Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition.
“We believe that protecting Europe requires a global integrated missile defense architecture solution developed through collective effort, technological openness and trusted industrial cooperation to deter and defeat future missile threats,” the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom said in a statement. he said.
“It will complement existing ballistic missile defense systems, including sovereign European solutions already acquired or to be acquired by participating countries.”
RUSSIA INCREASED ITS ATTACKS ON KYIV
The amount of munitions required for Ukraine’s systems has been critically low and has largely failed to shoot down ballistic missiles traveling at several times the speed of sound over the past month.
He begged his allies for more supplies and also pushed Europe to work with him on its own anti-ballistic air defense system.
As Russian attacks escalated, Kiev intensified drone strikes inside Russia, targeting oil facilities and weapons production, changing the momentum of the war’s battlefield.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with about 25 leaders for a broader summit of the Coalition of Volunteers, part of efforts to cobble together a common stance against Russia and security guarantees that would support an eventual peace deal.
Monday’s meetings came just days after a NATO summit aimed at demonstrating transatlantic unity and long-term support for Ukraine.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region in recent weeks, killing dozens of people. Eight people were killed and scores injured in Russia’s missile and drone strikes across Ukraine on Saturday, officials said.
Moscow says it only attacks targets of military importance and denies targeting civilians.
ZELENSKIY SAID THAT A NEW JOINT PROJECT WILL BE DEVELOPED
Zelenskiy had said before Monday’s meeting that many countries were likely to formalize the Freyja project – an attempt to create a European-backed, lower-cost alternative to Ukraine’s Patriot system.
“The more it leads to Ukraine shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, the more chances Putin has to come to the negotiating table, because his last argument in this war will no longer work,” Zelenskiy said in a statement after Monday’s statement. he said.
“The aim of our work on the joint system (Freyja) is not to replace existing systems. It is a way to bolster our defenses, create a strong shield over the whole of Europe, and do all this faster and at lower cost.”
A French presidential official briefing reporters said the meeting would also see how more US Patriot fighters could be procured and how the deployment of the Franco-Italian SAMP-T air defense system could be advanced.
Nearly a dozen companies from across Europe were among those in attendance, including SAMP-T manufacturer Eurosam, Leonardo, Thales, Saab, as well as Ukraine’s Fire Point.
JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES WERE PLANNED
Leaders meeting in Paris were also discussing how to restrict Moscow’s sources of revenue, particularly its “shadow fleet” of tankers with opaque ownership structures used to evade surveillance to transport Russian oil.
The EU is preparing to accept the 21st sanctions package against Russia next week.
The coalition also announced joint military exercises with the aim of turning the concept of a future multinational force (MNFU) in Ukraine into a more practical reality.
“The thing to remember is that the MNFU consists of land, air, sea and training. All these pillars are intended to be constantly tested to varying degrees with all participants to guarantee their reliability,” the French presidential official said. he said.
“This is not a matter of conducting exercises in Ukraine.”
(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Aidan Lewis and Alison Williams)
