India, July 14 -- Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday he expects Ukraine's homegrown Freya anti-ballistic missile system to become operational within the next twelve months, as ten nations formally launched a new Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition in Paris aimed at fast-tracking the low-cost alternative to America's scarce Patriot interceptors.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the coalition's first leaders-level meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Hotel des Invalides, where Zelensky thanked his French counterpart for convening the gathering.

"I am grateful to President Macron for organising and hosting the first meeting of the European Anti-Ballistic Coalition," Zelensky said, framing the ef...