UK and France re‑announce anti‑missile technology for Ukraine, deployment years away

Annette Young announced the appointment of Dr. Frank Ledwidge, a former military intelligence officer and Senior Lecturer in Strategy at Portsmouth University, to the organization’s advisory board. Dr. Ledwidge, who has extensive experience in defence analysis, said that recent European pledges to support Ukraine are largely symbolic and do not address the country’s most pressing security need.

He warned that the coalition’s focus has neglected Ukraine’s urgent requirement for advanced air‑defence interceptors capable of countering Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles. As winter approaches, the war‑torn nation remains vulnerable to strikes on its defence industry and to Russia’s ongoing campaign targeting civilian energy infrastructure, underscoring the critical gap in protective capabilities.