Ukraine and 9 other countries announce a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles

Key Points:

• Ukraine and nine European countries, including France, Germany, and the UK, have formed a coalition to develop a shared ballistic missile defense system for Europe, leveraging Ukraine’s experience defending against Russian attacks.
• The coalition aims to create an integrated missile defense architecture to deter and neutralize future ballistic missile threats, though no timeline for implementation has been announced and the plan remains open to other countries.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed strong retaliation against Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian infrastructure, while Kremlin officials dismissed the coalition as a “coalition of warmongers” driven by delusions of defeating Russia.
• Ukraine reported striking 105 Russian vessels near Crimea as part of efforts to isolate the peninsula and disrupt Russian logistics, while also launching over 300 drones toward Moscow, many of which were intercepted by Russian air defenses.
• The coalition meeting in Paris signals a long-term European commitment to support Ukraine amid ongoing conflict, with discussions also addressing Russian cyberattacks and the broader security impact on neighboring countries like Moldova.