Ukraine, 9 countries form coalition to shield Europe from ballistic missiles
Ukraine and nine other countries on Monday announced they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, taking advantage of Kyiv’s experience of fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion for over four years.
“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,” the 10 nations said in a statement in Paris at talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy was in Paris asking two dozen European leaders for help developing measures against Russia’s ballistic missiles, which have pummeled his country. Europe is wary of Moscow’s wider ambitions on the continent.
Zelenskyy and the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom said they recognized “the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles,” which are harder to stop than cruise missiles or drones. “We believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralize future missile threats,” the statement said. “We recognise Ukraine’s unique experience, gained through its defense against the war of aggression waged by Russia.”
The statement gave no time frame for setting up the defense system and said the plan remained open to other countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin was unyielding, vowing Monday emphatic retaliation to Kyiv’s recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread fuel shortages. “Wherever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,” Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.
European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels, where they were expected to discuss Ukraine’s needs and Russia’s threats to the continent.
“Our top priority is anti-ballistic defense,” Zelenskyy said in Paris. Zelenskyy is keen to accelerate efforts to jointly developing with European countries anti-ballistic air defenses ahead of the winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water.
