Western allies seek to secure air defense aid for Ukraine as shortages leave Kyiv vulnerable

Western allies are set to meet in Paris on Monday to bolster air defense commitments for Ukraine, as the nation faces increasing vulnerability to Russian ballistic missile attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will join leaders from at least 25 nations for the "Coalition of the Willing" meeting, which aims to develop a unified stance toward Russia and secure guarantees for a future peace deal.

Recent Russian missile and drone strikes have intensified, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot noting that June was one of the deadliest months of the war due to deliberate targeting of civilian areas. Russia, however, maintains it only targets military objectives and denies civilian harm.

The Paris meeting will prioritize anti-ballistic missile cooperation. Discussions are expected to cover sourcing more U.S. Patriot interceptors, accelerating the deployment of the Franco-Italian SAMP-T system, and exploring European and Ukrainian defense industry collaboration on alternative systems. One proposal involves European nations jointly developing a system to complement existing defenses and involve Ukraine in production.

Ukraine's air defense capabilities are critically strained, particularly against fast-moving ballistic missiles. The country has pleaded for increased supplies and European cooperation on developing its own anti-ballistic defense system. Meanwhile, Kyiv has escalated its drone attacks inside Russia, targeting oil facilities and weapons production to disrupt Moscow's war-fighting capacity.

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The ballistic missiles launched by (Russian President) Vladimir Putin are deliberately targeting civilian zones, and June was one of the most murderous (months) since the start of the war.