On July 13, 2026, Ukraine and nine European countries signed a joint agreement in Paris to build a new defence system against Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles. The countries involved are Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom Al Jazeera.

The centrepiece of this new alliance is called the Freyja project. It is a planned anti-ballistic missile interceptor—essentially a system designed to shoot down incoming missiles before they hit their targets. Freyja is meant to be a cheaper European-made alternative to US Patriot systems, which Ukraine has relied on for air defence since 2022-23 Al Jazeera. The agreement says Freyja will work alongside existing air defence systems that countries already own or are planning to buy, not replace them Al Jazeera. Private defence companies attended the Paris meeting, showing that much of the actual work will involve industry partnerships.

At the same meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron announced separate deals. Ukraine is ordering new Franco-Italian air defence systems and 16 Rafale fighter jets, which will arrive in Ukrainian service around 2028-2029. Macron also said Ukraine can now manufacture French-designed cruise missiles at home, a significant step because it means Ukraine will no longer depend entirely on France or the UK to supply these weapons Al Jazeera.

The allied countries also agreed to begin military exercises near Ukraine's borders. These are practice runs for a multinational force that would eventually deploy once a ceasefire with Russia happens Al Jazeera. No ceasefire exists today—this is planning for a future outcome.

This announcement did not come out of nowhere. The group has been meeting since September 2025, issuing various declarations to coordinate support. In January 2026, they agreed on a "Paris Declaration" outlining security guarantees President of Ukraine, Jan. 6. France, the UK, and Germany had jointly condemned Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine earlier this year French MFA UK.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been present at major international meetings. He attended the G7 summit in June 2026 alongside leaders from the world's wealthiest democracies French MFA. Australia has also been supplying advanced weapons systems to Ukraine UK Government, AUKMIN.

Why does Europe want its own missile system instead of relying on the United States? The Patriot systems America has supplied to Ukraine are effective, but the US can only make so many interceptor missiles each year, and they have other countries demanding supplies too. By developing Freyja, European nations are trying to reduce their dependence on American weapons production and gain more control over their own defence. That said, the slow timeline for Freyja—with no guaranteed date for deployment—suggests that leaders are uncertain whether a completely new system can be ready in time to help with today's fighting. The Rafale jets and cruise missile manufacturing, by contrast, have clear delivery dates. What emerges is a picture of Europe preparing for both a war that may continue and for negotiations that might eventually end it.