PARIS (AP) 鈥� Ukraine and nine other countries announced Monday they were forming a coalition to protect Europe from ballistic missiles, utilizing Kyiv鈥檚 experience in for over four years.
鈥淥ur goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe,鈥� the 10 nations said in a statement in Paris at talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He was asking two dozen leaders for help in developing measures against Russia’s missile attacks that have and made the rest of Europe on the continent.
Zelenskyy and the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom said they recognized 鈥渢he growing threat posed by ballistic missiles,鈥� which are harder to stop than cruise missiles or drones.
鈥淲e believe that protecting Europe requires a comprehensive solution, in the form of an integrated missile defense architecture, to deter and neutralize future missile threats,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淲e recognize 鲍办谤补颈苍别鈥檚 unique experience, gained through its defense against the war of aggression waged by Russia.鈥�
The statement gave no time frame for setting up the defense system and said the plan remained open to other countries.
Putin shows no sign Russia is backing down
Russian President Vladimir Putin was unyielding, vowing Monday emphatic retaliation to Kyiv’s recent long-range attacks on refineries, tankers and terminals that have caused widespread .
鈥淲herever they attempt to strike Russian territory, we will respond in kind, but our strikes will be several times more powerful,鈥� Putin told a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists.
European foreign ministers were meeting separately in Brussels where they discussed and to the continent.
Zelenskyy is keen to accelerate efforts with European countries to develop its air defenses ahead of winter, when Russia usually intensifies its attacks to deny Ukrainians electricity, heat and water.
Ukrainian officials were in Paris to present a proposed Anti-Ballistic Program and meet with government leaders, national security advisers and defense companies who might take part, Zelenskyy said.
U.S. President Donald to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense systems to counter the ballistic missiles could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv. However, experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into reality would probably take years. It was unclear how quickly a European system could be built.
Ukraine wants to push Putin into negotiations
Kyiv and its European backers want to press home and compel Putin to negotiate an end to the fighting, although Moscow has shown to compromise despite by the Trump administration.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow will closely follow the Paris meeting but dismissed its aspirations.
鈥淭his is a coalition of warmongers,鈥� Peskov said. 鈥淭hey are driven by the profound delusion that it鈥檚 possible to inflict a strategic defeat on our country, so this is a coalition of the deluded, a coalition of those who incite the war.鈥�
鲍办谤补颈苍别鈥檚 have given it an edge recently, analysts and Western officials say. Its strikes on supply routes behind the front have robbed the Russian army of momentum and made its progress slow and costly, they say.
Ukraine says it hit 105 Russian vessels in 8 days
Ukrainian forces struck 105 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov next to the Crimean Peninsula between July 6-13, said Robert Brovdi, commander of 鲍办谤补颈苍别鈥檚 Unmanned Systems Forces.
The vessels included tankers, dry cargo ships, a ferry and tugboats, Brovdi said on the Telegram messaging app.
The campaign is part of a broader Ukrainian effort to isolate the Crimean Peninsula, which is enduring its worst fuel crisis since it was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014, and disrupt Russian logistics. Crimea is a key rear base for Russian forces occupying parts of southern Ukraine.
It was not possible to independently verify the claims, and Russian officials made no immediate comment.
European leaders demonstrate their commitment to Kyiv
The Paris meeting of the so-called , which brings together more than 30 countries and about 25 heads of state and government, appeared to be a demonstration of a long-term commitment to Ukraine and a warning to Russia, as .
Zelenskyy鈥檚 trip to the French capital followed the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Kyiv鈥檚 in Washington. Lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko called Graham “the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump.鈥�
The trip also comes amid a of Zelenskyy’s government that saw Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko step down Sunday.
French Foreign Minister Jean-No毛l Barrot said he would summon the Russian ambassador to France and impose sanctions against Russian hackers. He told BFMTV-RMC that the issue is about 鈥渁 vast cyber campaign aimed at sabotage and espionage, carried out by Russia in about 10 European countries.鈥�
Ukraine’s neighbors have also felt the war’s impact.
In the latest incident, a drone launched during Russian overnight attacks on 鲍办谤补颈苍别鈥檚 Odesa region crashed and exploded on Moldova鈥檚 territory, Moldova鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. It said the incident was 鈥渟erious and unacceptable.鈥�
Ukraine fires over 300 drones toward Moscow
Ukraine has aimed at targets deep inside Russia with its domestically developed long-range drones and missiles.
Russian air defenses downed 350 Ukrainian drones heading toward Moscow since late Sunday, including 50 near the capital, the capital’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.
Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 81 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight, adding that three people were killed and three were injured by the attack in the Pionersky settlement in the western part of the Moscow region.
The Ukrainian air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 134 long-range strike drones and three guided aviation missiles at Ukraine.
A strike on port infrastructure in 鲍办谤补颈苍别鈥檚 Odesa region set fire to a docked merchant vessel carrying fertilizer under the flag of Togo, killing five crew members and wounding 10, said regional military administration head Oleh Kiper.
Russia says it thwarted a major Ukraine drone operation
Russia鈥檚 Federal Security Service said it had thwarted a Ukrainian plan for a drone attack on the Ukrainka air base in the far eastern Amur region and the Shagol air base in the Chelyabinsk region in the southern Urals.
Small drones were smuggled into Russia鈥檚 Bryansk region using air balloons and bigger transport drones, then taken by car near the air bases by Ukrainian agents, who were arrested, the security service said.
A covert Ukrainian operation a year ago, dubbed , destroyed or damaged nearly a third of Moscow鈥檚 strategic bomber fleet with drones carried secretly into Russia, according to Ukrainian officials.
鈥斺赌�
Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Lorne Cook in Brussels and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.
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