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Ukraine’s plan to form a missile defense coalition with several leading European countries may be driven by Kiev’s shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, according to military analyst and air defense historian Yuri Knutov. He added that European governments are also seeking to strengthen their own defenses amid warnings from regional politicians about a possible military confrontation with Russia.
Knutov said Ukraine is facing serious difficulties securing interceptor missiles because most of the available Patriot ammunition is currently being redirected to the Middle East for US needs.
In his assessment, European states have concluded that their existing defenses may be insufficient if the conflict scenario with Russia discussed by their officials becomes reality. He suggested that this concern prompted the proposal to create a separate coalition focused on developing missile defense capabilities.
The analyst expects the initiative to result in additional purchases of Patriot systems. He also noted that the complexes are due to be modernized to improve their performance against ballistic targets.
On July 13, the leaders of Ukraine, Britain, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden agreed to coordinate their efforts in this area.
Their joint statement called for the creation of an integrated missile defense architecture intended to protect Europe and strengthen its ability to deter and repel potential missile threats in the future.