Eleven countries have joined the European anti-ballistic missile program FREYJA — Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 11 countries have already joined the FREYJA program. According to him, Europe needs to develop its own production of anti-ballistic missiles and create an independent missile defense system, since few countries in the world possess such manufacturing capabilities.

 

He made these remarks during a speech in the Danish Parliament.

“Eleven countries have already joined the program. And each country can contribute its resources, its experience, and its investments. Together, we will achieve collective defense. I am pleased that we have already made all the necessary preparations to open the FREYJA office right here in Copenhagen, together with our Norwegian friends. I urge you to support this program,” said the President of Ukraine.

The head of state noted that once Europe has sufficient anti-ballistic defense capabilities of its own to no longer depend on anyone else, Russia will have to take Europe much more seriously.

Ballistic missiles remain the most dangerous weapons in Russia’s arsenal. And Russia will become virtually toothless as soon as we have enough interceptors to shoot down its ballistic missiles. This will also significantly strengthen Europe’s position within NATO.

Furthermore, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, building a new security architecture is crucial. The president noted that Russia claims it needs security guarantees, even though no one has attacked Russia for many decades. In reality, the Russians want to interfere unhindered in the affairs of other states, use force whenever they please, and prevent any support for freedom within Russia.

“Because Putin wants to preserve his personal power forever and pass on his imperialist—and in many ways simply fascist—views to future generations. And when decisions are made about what the coming decades will look like here, in our part of the world—including during negotiations between the United States and Russia—Europe must be at the negotiating table. This is our firm position in Ukraine,” the head of state noted.

Earlier, Zelenskyy discussed the production of maritime drones, radars, and the Freyja system in Denmark.

Ukraine wants to test the FREYJA anti-ballistic system as early as this winter, Zelenskyy said.

The first combat test of the Freyja anti-ballistic system interceptor, which is being developed as part of a coalition of 10 countries, is scheduled for mid-2027. This was announced by Iryna Terekh, CEO of the defense company FirePoint, during the Defense and Space Summit in Brussels on September 30.

Ukraine is working to expand the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition to create an effective, affordable, and mass-producible system to counter enemy missiles, with tests scheduled for this year.