In Paris, Coalition of the Willing Adopts a Joint European Anti-Ballistic Program

French President Emmanuel Macron invited European leaders, including Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, to gather in Paris. Macron welcomed them with warm embraces, particularly Rama, but also the other leaders. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also arrived in the French capital, who urged European countries to accelerate efforts to develop Ukraine’s air defense before winter. During this season, Russia intensifies attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heating, and water.

At the Summit of the Coalition of the Willing, where Albania was represented by Prime Minister Edi Rama, it was decided to build a joint European anti-ballistic program.

The program aims to strengthen the continent’s defense against ballistic missiles, drawing on the experience that Kyiv has gained in the war with Russia, which has been ongoing for more than four years.

In a statement issued Monday during the meeting with Zelensky, European leaders emphasized: “Our goal is to build a common defensive capability against ballistic missiles for Europe.”

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom signed the participation in the 90 billion euro support loan that the European Union has allocated for Ukraine. This action marks the first step of close cooperation between the EU and Britain after the latter’s departure from the bloc in 2020, as a result of Brexit.

According to the statement of the participating countries, the anti-ballistic program will include “an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralize future missile threats.”