Western allies press for more air-defense commitments for Ukraine in Paris

On July 6, Russia fired 23 ballistic missiles in one attack and Ukraine’s military failed to shoot down any of them. Volodymyr Zelenskiy joined at least 25 leaders in Paris for the Coalition of the Willing meeting as Western allies pressed for more air-defense commitments for Ukraine.

The urgency was sharpened by a wave of Russian strikes that hit Ukraine over the weekend. Ukrainian air force data showed just four of 49 ballistic missiles were intercepted in July. Ukraine has run critically low on munitions for its air-defense systems. One attack killed at least 20 people, while a separate tally put the death toll in the Kyiv area at 28 and left dozens wounded.

Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, called Putin’s ballistic missiles deliberately aimed at civilian areas and June one of the most murderous months since the start of the war. Zelenskiy has pushed allies for more interceptors and faster production, arguing that Europe needs its own effective anti-ballistic systems and missiles. Ukraine has also pressed for U.S. licenses to manufacture Patriot systems, a move Zelenskiy said could eventually help Ukraine defend itself and support partners as well.

The Paris meeting built on the Coalition of the Willing launched by Paris and London in early March 2025. The group now includes 35 countries, mostly European ones, and the latest session added Moldova and North Macedonia to the list of participants. Emmanuel Macron said the talks would address Russia’s shadow fleet, new military capabilities for Ukraine, stronger defense-industrial mobilization and deeper operational cooperation.