9 nations back Ukraine’s Patriot alternative, Freyja — and want it flying in a year

Nine nations have joined Ukraine in a new anti-ballistic coalition to accelerate production of Ukraine's Freyja interceptor system, with the goal of making it operational within a year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the announcement at a meeting of defense allies in Paris on Monday, following a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump at last week's NATO summit in Ankara to allow Ukraine to build its own Patriot interceptors. The initiative was launched in response to a global shortage of anti-ballistic interceptors, exacerbated by ongoing conflicts in Iran and elsewhere. The founding members include Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The coalition aims to establish a shared anti-ballistic missile capacity for Europe through collective effort and industrial cooperation. For Ukraine, the system would provide better protection against Russian ballistic missiles and reduce dependence on allies, while Europe would benefit from a faster path to resolving weapons shortages and leveraging Ukraine's battlefield experience. The group's immediate priorities include establishing common operational requirements, joint technical working groups, and a roadmap toward initial operational capabilities. Ukraine will lead the project, supplying the interceptor itself, while partner nations will provide radar, tracking, and command-and-control systems. Zelenskyy emphasized that the threat of ballistic missiles is increasing and that the Freyja system must become a reality.