Europe Is Building Missile Defence During the War, Not After It

A Coalition Against Ballistic Missiles Marks a New Phase of European Defence

Ukraine and nine European countries have announced the creation of a coalition to develop a joint system for protection against ballistic missile attacks. Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom have joined the initiative, unveiled during a meeting in Paris attended by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Formally, the coalition is designed to strengthen Ukraine's and Europe's ability to counter Russia's growing use of ballistic missiles. In strategic terms, however, it represents something much larger: a shift from coordinating military assistance to jointly developing the technologies that could underpin Europe's future missile defence architecture.

Ukraine Is Exporting Battlefield Experience, Not Just Security Needs

Since Russia's full-scale invasion began, Ukraine has gained more operational experience in intercepting modern ballistic missile attacks than any other country. Russia's repeated use of Iskander missiles, North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles and other high-speed strike weapons has forced Ukraine to continuously adapt its air defence tactics under real combat conditions.

That experience is now becoming one of Ukraine's most valuable contributions to European security. Coalition members aim to develop a system that is cheaper, faster to produce and easier to scale than existing solutions. In doing so, Ukraine is gradually moving beyond the role of a security recipient and becoming a source of military expertise for its European partners.

Russia's Missile Campaign Is Reshaping European Defence Priorities

The coalition is a direct response to the changing nature of Russia's war. While cruise missiles and drones dominated earlier stages of the conflict, Moscow has increasingly relied on ballistic missiles, which are significantly more difficult and expensive to intercept.

For European governments, this means missile defence is no longer solely about protecting Ukraine. Russia's expanding missile capabilities and the limited availability of existing interceptor systems are pushing European states to invest in technologies that can strengthen the continent's long-term resilience.

Patriot Alone Is No Longer Enough

At present, US-made Patriot systems remain the backbone of Ukraine's defence against ballistic missile attacks. However, they are costly to produce, and interceptor supplies remain limited.

The new coalition aims to complement existing capabilities by developing European alternatives through joint financing, industrial cooperation and expanded production capacity. The project is expected to involve both leading European defence companies and Ukrainian manufacturers whose technologies have been tested under wartime conditions.

Europe Is Building Its Future Defence While the War Continues

The coalition reflects a broader transformation of European security policy. During the first years of the full-scale war, the priority was supplying Ukraine with the weapons it needed to survive. Increasingly, however, the war is driving Europe to strengthen its own defence industrial base and develop shared military capabilities.

In that process, Ukraine is no longer only the recipient of support. Its battlefield experience is becoming an integral part of Europe's evolving security strategy, influencing how future defence systems are designed and deployed.

The ballistic missile coalition is therefore more than a response to Russia's current attacks. It represents an investment in a European security model that is being built during the war itself—one that relies more heavily on European cooperation, industrial capacity and operational experience than on external suppliers alone.

Sources: Associated Press, President of Ukraine, Reuters, NATO