European states sign Freyja missile defence pact, Germany eyes local production

Nine European countries and Ukraine signed a joint declaration in Paris last week to establish an Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. The flagship programme, named Freyja, was initiated by Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point and aims to construct a lower-cost, modular missile-defence architecture by merging combat experience with European industrial capacity.

Rather than relying on a single prime contractor, the Freyja initiative distributes manufacturing across borders. Participating states will supply distinct components—ranging from interceptor missiles to radars and command systems—to build a network designed to complement existing US Patriot batteries. This represents a structural shift in how Europe procures air defence.

The industrial implications extend beyond air defence into long-range strike capabilities. German contractor Diehl Defence is negotiating an agreement to produce Fire Point's FP-5 "Flamingo" cruise missile on German soil. Terekh confirmed that talks involve multiple German companies and the government to establish a framework for cheap, mass-produced weapons.

Domestic production of the Flamingo would address a critical capability gap for European NATO members. Recent uncertainty over whether the US would station Tomahawk missiles in Germany has exposed the continent's lack of indigenous deep-strike deterrence. Terekh stated that while Ukrainian needs remain the immediate priority, "Germany can count on us in terms of providing them with deep strike deterrence."

Fire Point has established its engineering credentials through the Flamingo, which Kyiv has used to strike targets deep inside Russia. A modernised version of the company's earlier FP1 missile recently achieved a range of 3,000 kilometres. Terekh noted that the company is "rethinking the doctrine of 'Deep Rear' and kind of rewriting military vocabulary."

Translating last week's diplomatic agreement into deployed hardware will require political will to cut through procurement red tape. Terekh warned that bureaucratic obstacles can be as damaging as the military threat itself, arguing that leaders must clear regulatory paths so engineers can focus on development. "Security guarantees are written in steel and not in ink," she said.

The strategic reality underpinning Freyja is rooted in simple geography and physics. Terekh pointed out that a ballistic missile takes two to five minutes to reach Kyiv, seven minutes to Warsaw, and eight minutes to reach Berlin. By embedding Ukrainian combat data into a distributed European supply chain, the coalition is attempting to build a defensive industrial base resilient enough to outlast any single political cycle.