Paris Summit: Allies Pledge New Air Defense Push as Zelensky Presses for More Weapons

Ukraine’s Western partners met in Paris on Monday to increase military support, with air defense the top priority as the war enters its fifth year.

President Volodymyr Zelensky joined representatives of all 37 Coalition of the Willing members at Les Invalides, AFP reported. The group was formed by France and the UK after Russia’s 2022 invasion and has now met more than 15 times.

Ukraine’s air defenses have been strained by weeks of intensified Russian ballistic missile strikes. Military sources said the coalition is set to announce the first joint exercises of the Multinational Force for Ukraine, a step toward eventual deployment once fighting ends.

Sweden’s top military commander, Michael Claesson, said the summit’s purpose was to confirm “the commitment is still there from all nations.”

Anti-missile coalition announced

Nine European countries and Ukraine – Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK – announced ahead of the summit a plan to build “purely defensive” anti-ballistic missile capability for Europe. Their joint statement cited a growing missile threat from Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the summit aimed to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses, increase pressure on Moscow and build long-term security guarantees.

The summit was held the day before France’s Bastille Day, whose military parade this year will highlight Ukraine support. In a pre-holiday address to troops, Macron said Europe was becoming a power capable of defending itself and pledged to defend peace and the rule of law “at the cost of blood if necessary.” He also called for deeper European defense-industry cooperation, despite the collapse last month of a joint French-German fighter jet program.

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Kremlin dismisses summit

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the meeting a “coalition of warmongers” and said its members do not want peace.

The Élysée Palace described the summit as a moment of renewed transatlantic unity alongside more favorable battlefield conditions for Kyiv.

US not a formal member

The US is not a formal coalition member and rules out sending ground troops, but says it would help monitor any ceasefire. President Donald Trump signaled potential additional US support at the June G7 summit and this week’s NATO meeting in Turkey.

Washington this month authorized Ukraine to build US-designed Patriot air defense systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, though production is likely months away. The US Congress also advanced bipartisan legislation targeting buyers of Russian energy.

France, Britain and Spain have said they are prepared to send troops to Ukraine. The Kremlin has warned it would treat any foreign forces on Ukrainian soil as “legitimate targets.”

No ceasefire reached

The coalition adopted the Paris Declaration in January, in the presence of American envoys, setting out security guarantees for Ukraine and a ceasefire-monitoring framework. No ceasefire has been agreed. Fighting continues along the front line. Zelensky has repeated calls in recent days for allies to increase military aid.