How Ukraine is becoming part of Europe's defence architecture: Europe and Ukraine launch joint missile shield and military exercises

As Russia intensifies its ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, Kyiv and nine European allies have agreed to take a major new step in defence cooperation: jointly developing a future missile shield capable of countering some of Moscow's fastest and most difficult-to-intercept weapons. The decision, announced during a summit of Ukraine's key supporters in Paris on Monday, goes beyond immediate military aid. For the first time, participating countries are seeking to build a common industrial and technological framework for anti-ballistic missile defence — while also preparing joint military exercises linked to future security arrangements for Ukraine. But how quickly can Europe reduce its dependence on scarce American Patriot systems? And what role could Ukraine's rapidly expanding defence industry play in building the continent's next generation of air-defence capabilities? Those questions are now moving to the centre of European security planning.