Zelensky says Ukraine and European countries developing anti-ballistic missile system

Fire Point said it tested the FP-7 ballistic missile, a video of which appeared on social media at the end of February 2026. (Fire Point)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine and Europe are working on a European defence system to counter ballistic missiles, according to a 19 April 2026 interview broadcast on Ukraine's TV channel Marathon.

“We are in talks with several countries and are working in this direction,” Zelensky said. He also added that the defence system would need to be built by April 2027. He did not provide further details on the countries or defence firms involved in the development of the anti-ballistic missile system.

Ukraine and Germany are increasing efforts in the development of an anti-ballistic missile system as part of their strategic partnership announced on 14 April. The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in air defence and increase missile manufacturing and development, according to a 14 April German Federal Government (Bundesregierung) press release.

In one of the latest attacks by Russian forces, Moscow used dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles to strike Ukrainian cities, according to a 16 April social media post by Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Andrii Sybiha. On 15 April Russia launched a total of 44 missiles and 659 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian Air Force reported at the time.