By NAVI Research Institute
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| Focus Point: Regional Security – Transatlantic Security/NATO |
NATO Chiefs of Defence met in Copenhagen for the Military Committee Conference | NATO
By NATO | 19 September 2026
Copenhagen, 18–19 September 2026 – NATO’s highest Military Authority, the NATO Military Committee, met for the annual Military Committee Conference.
Weekly summary:
NATO says the Military Committee conference in Copenhagen brought together Chair Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, all 32 Allied Chiefs of Defence and NATO’s two Strategic Commanders to follow up the Ankara Summit. Discussions focused on collective deterrence and defence, innovation and technology, support for Ukraine, capability targets, readiness and multi-domain operations. The meeting also pressed defence industry to deliver at speed and scale, and Allies elected Germany’s General Carsten Breuer as the next Committee Chair beginning in summer 2027. Read more
| Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Deterrence and Collective Defense |
Prepare, protect, prevail: NATO publishes Baseline Requirements for Resilience | NATO
By NATO | 17 September 2026
As hybrid attacks on our societies, infrastructure and digital networks occur more frequently, Allies are stepping up their resilience efforts.
Weekly summary:
NATO says its Baseline Requirements for Resilience are intended to help governments strengthen civil-military cooperation through a whole-of-society approach. The Alliance links resilience to keeping critical services such as energy, food, water and healthcare available during shocks, crises and conflict. It also connects the work to Hague Summit spending commitments and describes meetings with industry, EU representatives and Ukrainian authorities on crisis planning and maintaining essential services under sustained attack. Read more
| Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Deterrence and Collective Defense |
UK must focus on the Atlantic, ‘foundation’ of Britain’s security: Navy chief | Defense News
By Rudy Ruitenberg | 17 September 2026
“It is no longer possible to defend a vast, contested ocean with crewed warships alone,” Jenkins said.
Weekly summary:
Defense News reports that First Sea Lord Gen. Gwyn Jenkins urged stronger Royal Navy readiness to keep the Atlantic open and protect sea lanes, undersea cables and energy infrastructure. He described the Atlantic as central to United Kingdom security and NATO reinforcement of Europe, while pointing to Russian activity in the North Atlantic. Jenkins also backed a hybrid Navy combining crewed vessels with drones, sensors and data networks, arguing that future advantage depends on integrated maritime systems. Read more
| Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Defense Industry, Acquisition, and Readiness |
Germany’s missile stockpiles ‘worryingly low’, Rheinmetall CEO tells Euronews | Euronews
By Donogh McCabe & Eduard Wolter | 17 September 2026
Germany wants to significantly strengthen its defence capabilities. But this is no longer just about more ammunition and missiles.
Weekly summary:
Euronews reports that Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said Germany’s missile inventories remain low because missiles cannot be produced quickly, with bottlenecks in rocket motors and warheads. He described a major investment programme across industry to rebuild capacity for Germany, Europe and NATO. Papperger said Skyranger series deliveries are due to begin in 2027, discussed expanded production capacity, and outlined work on cruise missiles, air defence, drones, robotics and space technologies. Read more
| Focus Point: Regional Security – Transatlantic Security/European Security |
Inside von der Leyen’s pitch for a new EU security architecture | Euronews
By Luca Bertuzzi & Angela Skujins | 17 September 2026
The State of the Union speech saw the Commission president outline what sound like grand plans for European security, but big questions remain unanswered.
Weekly summary:
Euronews says von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech outlined a European Security Council, an Emergency Security Protocol and a European Instrument for Strategic Enablers. The proposed council would bring EU leaders together with partners including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada. The strategic-enablers instrument would support capabilities such as satellites, airlift, refuelling and intelligence. The article notes that questions remain over implementation, timing, financing and overlap with NATO and other European security arrangements. Read more
| Focus Point: Regional Security – Transatlantic Security/NATO |
NATO jet shoots down suspected Russian drone over Lithuania | Al Jazeera
By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters | 15 September 2026
An Italian fighter jet flying for NATO has brought down what officials said was a suspected Russian drone in Lithuanian airspace.
Weekly summary:
Al Jazeera reports that an Italian fighter jet operating for NATO shot down a suspected Russian drone after it entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus. Lithuania’s crisis management centre said the drone was intercepted near Pratkunai, while Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said it was carrying an explosive. Debris was being examined to determine its origin. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the incident as part of a pattern of aggression and provocation, while Russian officials did not immediately comment. Read more
| Focus Point: Emerging Technologies & Data – Artificial Intelligence |
Decoding the dragon – A language-based analysis of China’s vision of AI warfare | NATO Defense College
By Anselm Küsters and Marius Strubenhoff | 15 September 2026
China’s pursuit of “intelligentized warfare” has become a central concern for NATO member states, whose 2022 Strategic Concept identified China as presenting systemic challenges.
Weekly summary:
The NATO Defense College study examines China’s concept of intelligentized warfare through large-scale computational analysis of Chinese material from 2000 to 2025. Its sources include legal and strategic texts, AI research publications, People’s Daily coverage and PLA-linked procurement and defence-industrial contracts. The authors report consistently positive state-media sentiment around military AI, with military-AI salience and positive tone increasingly linked after 2023. They also report that LLM-based classification identifies surveillance as the primary military application of AI across the examined corpora. Read more
| Focus Point: Regional Security – Western Balkans Security |
NATO reaffirms its steadfast commitment to stability in the Western Balkans, following update by the KFOR Commander | NATO
By NATO | 15 September 2026
The Western Balkans is a region of strategic importance for the Alliance. NATO’s commitment to support lasting security in Kosovo and regional stability is steadfast.
Weekly summary:
NATO says the North Atlantic Council met in KFOR format with troop-contributing partners and KFOR Commander Major General Özkan Ulutaş, who briefed Allies on efforts to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo under UN Security Council Resolution 1244. He also discussed gradual, conditions-based and reversible optimisation of KFOR’s posture. NATO said KFOR will remain staffed, equipped and ready for its mandate, while reaffirming support for regional stability and the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. Read more
| Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Great Power Competition |
EU states to raise game as Arctic becomes strategic geopolitical frontier | Al Jazeera
By Al Jazeera Staff, AP and EPA | 14 September 2026
European Union member states have agreed to increase investment in the Arctic amid a growing scramble for security advantages and vast natural resources.
Weekly summary:
Al Jazeera reports that EU member states agreed to increase Arctic investment as security and economic competition intensifies. At a meeting involving 12 countries, participants called for a more strategic and proactive EU role in the European Arctic and identified Russia as the largest threat, while also noting Chinese and US ambitions. The article links the region’s growing importance to receding ice, new shipping and resource opportunities, Russia’s expanded military presence and tensions involving Greenland. Read more
| Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Russia-Ukraine War |
NATO pledges more Ukraine support after Russia strikes near Poland | Al Jazeera
By Al Jazeera Staff, Reuters and The Associated Press | 14 September 2026
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has pledged additional support for Ukraine after Russian drone strikes hit close to the border with Poland.
Weekly summary:
Al Jazeera reports that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte pledged additional support for Ukraine after Russian drone strikes hit close to Poland’s border. Rutte said the Alliance would not be deterred from backing Kyiv and would strengthen its own eastern-border defences. The article says Russian drones struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border and another site near a crossing point, while Poland pledged increased border security and the strikes underscored the war’s proximity to NATO territory. Read more
Way Ahead | 21-27 September 2026
Partners for multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity summit (P4M summit)
Organizer: President of the European Council António Costa, President of Kenya William Ruto, and Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney
Date: 21 September 2026 Location/format: New York, United States, in the margins of UN General Assembly High-Level Event details
General debate of the eighty-first session of the General Assembly
Organizer: General Assembly of the United Nations
Date: 22-26 September 2026 (in-range sessions) Location/format: United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States Event details
NATO Secretary General to visit the United States of America
Organizer: NATO
Date: 22-24 September 2026 Location/format: Iowa and New York, United States Event details
10th NMIOTC Conference on Cyber Security in the Maritime Domain
Organizer: NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC)
Date: 23-24 September 2026 Location/format: NMIOTC, Souda Bay, Crete, Greece
Thank you very much for reading.
