NATO’s Chiefs of Defence met in Copenhagen on 18–19 September to discuss follow-up work from the Alliance’s summit in Ankara, including collective deterrence and defence, innovation and technology, and support for Ukraine.
The talks brought together the Chair of NATO’s Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the 32 Allied Chiefs of Defence and NATO’s two Strategic Commanders — General Alexus G. Grynkewich, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and Admiral Pierre Vandier, the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), NATO informed on Saturday.
Cavo Dragone said the meeting would focus on “delivering on capabilities” after the Ankara Summit, alongside “accelerated adoption of new defence capabilities.”
He also cited what he described as “reckless behaviour” by Russia in recent weeks and months, including airspace violations, drone incidents and hybrid activities.
Allied forces had responded “swift[ly]” to these incidents, and “NATO will do what is necessary to defend every inch of Allied territory.”
Next military committee chair selected
Allied nations elected Germany’s Chief of Defence, General Carsten Breuer, to be the next Chair of the NATO Military Committee.
He is due to take up the post in summer 2027 for a three-year mandate.
General Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard, Denmark’s Chief of Defence, said NATO Allies in Copenhagen reaffirmed commitments on strengthening the Alliance, innovation and technology, and support for Ukraine.
NATO said the weekend’s agenda also included implementing summit decisions and capability targets, accelerating readiness, and improving the ability to operate across multiple domains — such as land, air, sea, cyber and space — alongside messages to defence industry on delivering equipment “with speed, scale and predictability.”
