Ukraine and European Countries' Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition

Ukraineand nine European countries have announced the establishment of the European Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition on 13 July 2026 to strengthen their collective defense capability against ballistic missile threats. In a joint statement issued by France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine, it was emphasized that the initiative is entirely defensive in nature and aims to develop an integrated missile defense architecture to address potential ballistic missile threats facing Europe in the future.

The establishment of the coalition was announced during the "Coalition of the Willing" summit held in Paris, the capital of France, with the goal of reinforcing Europe’s collective security architecture.

Under the coalition, European countries aim to develop a shared ballistic missile defense capability. To this end, increased technology sharing, joint research and development activities, strengthened cooperation in the defense industry and the establishment of common operational standards are foreseen.

Participating countries have stated that they will work on a comprehensive project encompassing the determination of common operational requirements, the establishment of technical cooperation mechanisms and the development of a roadmap for the first joint ballistic missile defense systems. The systems to be developed are planned to complement the existing or planned national air and missile defense systems of the participating countries.

One of the coalition’s core objectives is the creation of a common defense industrial infrastructure in Europe. Within this framework, joint production, technology development and research activities among defense industries are planned.

In addition, the development of common funding models, enhanced sharing of defense-related data and information, and the joint development of next-generation ballistic missile defense technologies are targeted. The joint statement notes that Europe’s security can only be ensured in the long term through an integrated missile defense system.

One of the most notable aspects of the coalition is the inclusion of Ukraine’s operational experience gained during the war. The joint statement highlights that Ukraine’s defense experience developed against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles during its ongoing conflict with Russia will contribute to strengthening Europe’s collective defense capability.

Ukraine’s field experience is expected to inform the development of new defense concepts, the determination of technical requirements and the design of joint systems.

The establishment of the coalition was announced during the “Coalition of the Willing” summit in Paris. At the summit, assessments were made regarding the continuation of military support to Ukraine, the strengthening of Europe’s defense capacity and the intensification of diplomatic pressure on Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that protecting Ukraine against ballistic missile threats is vital for Europe’s collective security and emphasized the urgent need to rapidly enhance Europe’s ballistic missile defense capabilities. Macron also confirmed that France will contribute to the coalition through its advanced defense technologies and industrial infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his meeting with Macron, assessed the latest developments on the front and Ukraine’s air defense needs, underlining the importance of increasing defense cooperation with European countries.

The Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition is viewed as a continuation of recent momentum in European collective defense initiatives. The initiative follows decisions made at the G7 Summit in Évian and the NATO Summit in Ankara to support Ukraine.

At the Paris summit, it was stated that priority goals include not only providing military aid to Ukraine but also developing projects aimed at strengthening Europe’s long-term collective defense infrastructure.

Following the announcement of the coalition, the Kremlin responded critically. Russian officials described the Paris summit as a “coalition of war provocateurs” and claimed that the participating countries prefer to sustain conflict rather than pursue peace.

The countries forming the coalition reiterated that the initiative is entirely defensive in nature and aims to enhance Europe’s security and establish a common deterrent against future ballistic missile threats.

Founding members have announced that the Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition is open to the participation of other countries that adopt its common principles. In the coming phase, the scope of joint research and development projects is expected to expand, new joint production programs will be launched and an integrated ballistic missile defense architecture across Europe will be established.