Zelensky: Ukraine to Hold Talks with Europe on Joint “Sky Protection System”

Ukraine will hold talks with European countries on establishing a joint air defense system.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this during a speech marking the Day of the Armorer.

He noted that Ukraine’s security experience and military expertise are highly sought after by dozens of countries worldwide.

“Already this week, we will have a conversation with the Europeans – negotiations on creating a joint sky defense system. I am confident that either Ukraine will become an integral part of the European security system, or some in Europe risk becoming part of the ‘Russian world,’” he said.

It is currently unclear what exactly the President of Ukraine meant – whether he was referring to the development of joint air defense systems as technical weapons systems, or to an initiative to integrate national air defense systems into a single regional network.

Joint production of air defense systems

Ukraine is actively promoting the localization of missile production for Western air defense systems used by the Defense Forces. Back in April 2025, during the Ramstein meeting, at Ukraine’s request, the localization of surface-to-air missile production in Ukraine was discussed.

Separately, Ukraine made similar requests to the United States and Germany. It is known that the United States refused to grant a license to produce Patriot systems.

Meanwhile, there are examples of practical cooperation. The Norwegian government, together with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Ukraine, will finance the development of Ukrainian surface-to-air missiles for the NASAMS air defense system.

The integration of Ukrainian missiles into the Norwegian system was confirmed in February 2025. Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, told Euractiv that the company is establishing a joint venture in Ukraine to expand NASAMS missile production by leveraging Ukrainian technology. This refers to serial production, although the type of missiles has not been disclosed.

In addition, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has developed a short-range air defense system mounted on Ukrainian Inguar-3 armored vehicles, which may enter service with Ukraine.

Another direction involves proposals from Ukrainian companies. The Ukrainian company Fire Point is offering European partners the integration of Ukrainian developments into a joint missile defense system.

The project is codenamed “Freya.” The concept involves localizing missile production for the S-300/S-400 air defense systems, combined with European radar stations, to create a hybrid system based on existing Soviet-era platforms and Western technologies.