DD Foreign Desk
Stockholm: The leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom have jointly announced the launch of an Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition to strengthen Europe’s collective defence against growing ballistic missile threats.
In a joint declaration, the participating countries said the coalition will focus on developing a purely defensive, integrated anti-ballistic missile capability to enhance the security of the European continent.
The initiative aims to build a shared missile defence architecture by combining the member nations’ defence industries, research capabilities and operational experience. The coalition will complement existing national and European ballistic missile defence systems rather than replace them.
The leaders said the project would establish common operational requirements, create joint technical working groups, develop governance mechanisms and prepare a roadmap for delivering the coalition’s first operational capabilities, in line with each country’s constitutional and international obligations.
The coalition also plans to promote joint research and development, explore funding opportunities and enhance the exchange of defence data and information among participating nations.
The declaration acknowledges Ukraine’s extensive experience in defending against Russia’s aggression, describing it as a valuable contribution to the coalition’s future capabilities.
The founding members are Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, with the coalition remaining open to other countries that share its objectives and principles.
