Zelenskyy says Ukraine is in talks on joint Freyja missile defence system

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is in talks with 10 countries and 12 defence companies on the development of Freyja, a joint European anti-ballistic missile defence system.

Source: a European Pravda journalist, citing Zelenskyy at a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors in Kyiv

Details: Zelenskyy described the joint Ukrainian-European missile defence system as "one of Ukraine's most ambitious ideas" and urged ambassadors to make Freyja a diplomatic priority.

According to the president, the system will be quick to produce and will have the advantage of being combat-tested.

"Ukraine can produce the missile itself and the launcher. But decisive cooperation is needed with those European countries and companies that have radars, sensors and everything else required for an effective anti-ballistic system," he said.

Zelenskyy said the negotiations are taking place in a tripartite format, under which each participating country is represented by its leader, national security adviser and one or more defence manufacturers.

The coalition currently consists of Ukraine, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as 12 defence companies.

He added that the anti-ballistic coalition and the Freyja project remain open to new members that can strengthen Europe's collective security.

"For example, countries that do not have relevant manufacturing capabilities but do have Patriot interceptor missiles and are willing to invest those missiles in our ability to defend our skies – we would be pleased to welcome them into this anti-ballistic coalition," Zelenskyy said.

Background:

• Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, said earlier that the newly established Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition will develop the Freyja anti-ballistic defence system. He said the project aims to strengthen Europe's ability to counter ballistic missile threats by combining Ukrainian and European technologies.
• On 13 July, the coalition launched work in Paris on a European missile defence system.

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