Ukraine updates: ‘Coalition of the willing’ meeting in Paris

European leaders have agreed to form a new intergrated anti-ballistic missile coalition with Ukraine. 

The agreement brings together Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdon. 

The countries said in a statement that “our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defense capability for Europe.”

Leaders say the project will develop “purely defensive” anti-ballistic capabilities in Europe, citing  “the growing threat” of ballistic missiles.

The coalition is designed to complement existing ballistic missile defense systems, including national European systems already in service or planned for deployment.

“We believe that the protection of Europe, requires a global solution of integrated missile defence architecture to deter and defeat future missile threats,” they said. 

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks taking place in France on Monday could pave the way for “significantly greater opportunities” for Ukraine’s defense.

“Our top priority is anti-ballistic defense,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

“We will present our Anti-Ballistic Program to our partners and, for the first time, hold a meeting at the level of leaders, national security advisors, and defense companies from countries that can make a concrete contribution to building a new anti-ballistic system,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy said he would be metting with French President Emmanuel Macron and be part of the Coalition of the Willing talks in Paris.

“We will work to give this format new momentum,” Zelenskyy said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe was prepared to pay the ultimate price if necessary in the defense of freedom and the rule of law.

“The message we send to the world is this: Yes, peace is our goal. Yes, we cherish freedom and the rule of law. And yes, we stand ready to fight to defend them. Always, and at the cost of blood if necessary,” Macron told the country’s armed forces, hours before a meeting of allies backing Ukraine as it defends itself in Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister said a Russian strike on a Togolese-flagged vessel killed three crew members and injured five others.

“As a result of hitting the superstructure of the vessel, a fire broke out. Unfortunately, three crew members died,” Kuleba said in a post on X.

“This is another blow by Russia to civilian shipping and port infrastructure in Ukraine. Such attacks threaten the safety of international shipping, the stability of global trade, and the world’s food security,” Kuleba added.

The vessel had been unloading mineral fertilizers and was moored in the Odesa region at the time of the attack.

Donald Trump says the US will give Ukraine the license to produce its own Patriot missiles.

The system is invaluable in shooting down Russian ballistic missiles that rain down on Ukrainian cities. But questions remain.

The United Kingdom announced a new package of joint cyber sanctions with the US, targeting Russian cyber networks.

“The Russian state and its criminal networks responsible for orchestrating cyber-attacks, interfering in elections and spreading malicious anti-Ukraine narratives across Europe have today been sanctioned by the UK,” the government said in a statement.

“Today’s action targets 24 individuals and ‌entities behind the destructive cyber ‌and ​hybrid operations including cybercriminals involved in proxy networks linked to the Russian Intelligence Services,” ​the government statement said.

The statement went on to say that it was attributing a failed cyber-attack on Poland’s energy grid in December 2025 to Russia’s FSB. The statement said that the attack could have caused 500,000 people to be without electricity “in the depths of winter.”

“These sanctions strike at the core of the cybercriminal networks propping up the Russian state’s aggression, and the UK and EU are sending a clear message that Russia cannot hide behind its use of these proxy groups,” said UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The UK has sanctioned more than 3,400 targets behind Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

The death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has come has a major blow for Ukraine, with him being viewed as a key link between Kyiv and US President Donald Trump.

“Huge and absolutely unexpected loss,” said Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy’s party.

“He was truly indispensable. I even don’t know who might be as important for us now in Trump’s entourage.”

“He was the closest link between Ukraine, our president and Trump,” he added. “Our position in Trump’s entourage might be weaker.”

Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk described Graham as a “steadfast friend of Ukraine” whose support was “principled and resolute.”

Shortly after news of Graham’s passing, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had visited Ukraine ten times since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy described Graham as a “true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.”

Trump’s return to the White House, brought with it a level of uncertainty as to the path ahead when it came to support for Ukraine’s defensive efforts.

Ukrainian officials moved better relationships with Republicans close to him amid growing uncertainty over future US backing. Graham was seen as a central figure to those efforts in that time.

Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, the FSB, said that it had scuppered a series of attempted Ukrainian drone strikes against two military airbases deep inside Russia.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that Ukraine’s secret services had tried hitting the Shagol and Ukrainka air bases located in the Ural mountains and Russia’s far east and cited the FSB with that information.

TASS reported that “perpetrators and accomplices of the planned terrorist attacks have been detained.”

The report goes on to say that balloons and drones were used to deliver containers laden with drones into Russia’s Bryansk region, which were then transported to the target areas.

It wouldn’t have been the first time Ukraine has managed to strike deep inside Russian territory.

In 2025 Ukraine managed to launch strikes on Russian military air bases, including Ukrainka, and managed to destroy a number of Russian aircraft.

Foreign ministers from the European Union are meeting in Brussels to discuss Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

Ahead of the talks, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas ssaid that there wasn’t yet agreement on the 21st package of sanctions against Russia.

“We are hoping ​that ‌we get 250 listings agreed .. this is the biggest number of listings we ‌have done so far,” Kallas ‌said.

“When it comes to the 21st ​package, there are still some open questions,” she added.

Kallas also said there would also be discussions about prisoners of war, child abductions and civilians who are being held in occupied terriroties.

“These are teachers, these are journalists. We have the NGOs here from Ukraine who are dealing with this, and we are also discussing what more can we do,” Kallas said upon arrival in Brussels. 

The Coalition of the Willing, the Western allies who support Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion, are meeting in Paris.

The summit — launched by France and the United Kingdom to provide military support — will push for a ceasefire and renewed peace talks, the French presidency said Friday.

At least 25 heads of state are attending the talks that take place a day before France’s Bastille Day national holiday, among them Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The talks come at a “powerful moment of renewed transatlantic convergence and unity”, but also of “more favorable developments on the ground” for Kyiv, the Elysee said.

Coalition leaders are also expected to focus on air and missile defense cooperation and its been reported that the Multinational Force for Ukraine, which would be deployed after fighting ends, is to be declared ready, officials have been cited as saying.

Ukraine strengthens defenses along its border with Belarus, warning President Alexander Lukashenko against deeper involvement in Russia’s war. Belarus remains a key source of logistic support for Moscow. Could that role expand?

At least three people have been rported killed Ukrainian drone strikes near Moscow, according to local authorities.

Regional governor Andrei Vorobyov said  three people were killed whe a drone crashed in the village of Pionersky, west of Moscow.

“Fires broke out in five private homes,” Vorobyov said in a post on Telegram.

Vorobyov also said that a drone also struck an apartment building in the Moscow region town of Solnechnogorsk, injuring two people.

He said that 81 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the region overnight.

Russia’s Defense Ministry meanwhile said that 342 Ukrainian drones were downed in several regions overnight.

Ukraine has been striking increasingly deeper inside Russia as it continues to defend itself from a full-scale invasion from its neighbor.

Thank you for joining us as we bring you the latest developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Monday will see Ukraine’s allies gather to reaffirm support for Kyiv and ratchet up pressure on Russia to end ongoing invasion. 

At least 25 heads of state will be joining the summit — which takes place a day before Bastille Day — including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who will stay on for the military parade down the Champs Elysees.

We’re also tracking a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. The bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said there’s still work to be done on the 21st sanctions package on Russia.

Stay tuned as we bring you the details on those incidents and plenty more.