13 min.
NAVIRadar Weekly

NAVI Radar Weekly 2–8 November 2026

By NAVI Research Institute

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NAVI Radar Weekly

By NAVI Research Institute

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Focus Point: Emerging Technologies & Data – Military Technology and Innovation

NATO accelerates procurement for counter-drone technologies | NATO

By NATO  |  5 November 2026

The counter-drone marketplace aims to facilitate Allies’ access to suitable solutions to urgent operational requirements. Through the marketplace, Allies will be able to procure these solutions directly from the NATO catalogue without any further tender process. As part of the marketplace, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has competed and selected 16 solutions from five companies; Alta Ares; Axon Enterprise Inc.; Northrop Grumman; OSL UK; and Quantum Systems. The solutions were selected based on experience gained through NATO, national innovation activities and exercises. The selected capabilities have already been deployed in Allied countries and in Ukraine. The selected solutions cover a mix of static, transportable and on-the-move systems.

NATO launched a counter-unmanned aircraft systems marketplace to speed up Allied purchases of tested counter-drone technologies through existing NATO procurement arrangements. The NATO Communications and Information Agency selected sixteen solutions from five companies for fixed, transportable and mobile requirements. NATO also committed €3.1 million to additional testing, while linking the marketplace to its wider Drone Edge initiative. The practical significance is faster access to systems already deployed by Allies and in Ukraine. Implementation will depend on national procurement decisions, operational suitability and continued adaptation as drone threats evolve. Read more

Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Russia-Ukraine War

UK to lead multinational military training exercise to prepare for peace in Ukraine | UK Ministry of Defence

By UK Ministry of Defence  |  3 November 2026

Hundreds of British troops, RAF jets and forces from 11 nations will rehearse how to secure lasting peace in Ukraine when the fighting ends in a major exercise in Poland this month. The UK and France will jointly lead Exercise Koalicja, the first major exercise run by the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U). MNF-U is the military arm of the Coalition of the Willing, a group of nations who have pledged strengthened military, economic and diplomatic support to Ukraine. The exercise runs from 9 November to 22 November and will test how to move, protect and supply a force that would help rebuild Ukraine’s Armed Forces once the fighting ends.

The United Kingdom announced Exercise Koalicja, a multinational rehearsal in Poland from 9 to 22 November involving roughly 2,800 personnel from eleven countries. The UK and France will jointly lead activities designed to test movement, logistics, protection and integration of the proposed Multinational Force Ukraine. About 300 UK personnel and RAF aircraft are expected to participate. The force is intended to assist Ukraine after hostilities end and at Kyiv’s request, not to conduct ceasefire monitoring or deploy during ongoing fighting. The exercise indicates concrete allied planning for post-conflict security arrangements without implying a peace agreement already exists. Read more

Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Defense Discussions

Ukraine to channel up to €1bn in EU loans into joint defence projects | Euronews

By Luca Bertuzzi  |  2 November 2026

Under the Ukraine Support Loan (USL), the EU is providing €90 billion to support Kyiv’s war effort in 2026 and 2027. With Ukraine’s financing needs mounting, Brussels recently agreed to bring forward some payments to help plug its budget shortfall. Nevertheless, Kyiv is expected to transfer “up to €1bn of Ukraine Support Loan funds to the European Defence Industry Programme / Ukraine Support Instrument”, according to a confidential European Commission document obtained by Euronews. The instrument, currently worth €300 million, is meant to promote joint Ukrainian-European production through joint ventures and licensing arrangements, and to facilitate joint procurement involving manufacturers from both sides. The funding boost forms part of the EU-Ukraine Strategic Defence Industrial Partnership, which seeks to combine Ukraine’s battle-tested technologies with Europe’s industrial capacity.

Euronews reported on a proposed transfer of up to €1 billion from Ukraine’s European Union loan support into joint defence-industrial projects. The contemplated funding would expand the Ukraine Support Instrument and prioritize air defence, missiles, drones, counter-drone systems and ammunition. A confidential European Commission document described a broader industrial partnership intended to improve production and procurement between European and Ukrainian firms. The initiative remained under discussion at the time of reporting, with member-state approval and further negotiations still necessary. The proposal illustrates Europe’s attempt to translate Ukraine’s operational experience into a more integrated defence-production base. Read more

Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Deterrence and Collective Defense

Europe’s military readiness plans at risk despite record defence spending | Euronews

By Angela Skujins  |  4 November 2026

The warning echoes the European Defence Agency’s first Annual Defence Readiness Report, which highlighted persistent gaps in Europe’s military capabilities. As Europe invests billions in its military capabilities – €418 billion in 2025 – and confronts its most perilous security environment since the Cold War, the report warns that its ambitions to defend itself have yet to translate into deployable, sustainable and interoperable forces. The Commission’s work programme underscores the challenge. “We therefore need to do more to achieve these goals and to strengthen our resilience, preparedness and capacity to respond rapidly to crises, or worse,” it states. Europe’s defence challenges have also been exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce the American military presence in Europe, which includes withdrawing strategic enablers, as part of his force posture review.

A leaked draft of the European Commission’s work programme, reviewed by Euronews, reportedly warned that European military readiness by 2030 remains at risk despite record defence spending. The reporting cites investment of approximately €418 billion in 2025, alongside continued weaknesses in strategic enablers, operational interoperability, logistics and the speed of translating funding into deployable forces. It also highlights hybrid threats, critical infrastructure and gaps in counter-drone programmes. These are findings attributed to a draft document, not a finalized European Union assessment. The issue underscores the distinction between defence-budget commitments and usable collective military capacity. Read more

Focus Point: Regional Security – Transatlantic Security/European Security

2026 Enlargement Package shows that reform commitment delivers progress towards EU membership | European Commission

By Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood  |  4 November 2026

Today, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, taking stock of progress made by the enlargement partners over the past year and setting out reform priorities for the way forward. Enlargement is one of the EU’s most consequential policies anchoring peace, stability and prosperity across the continent. Firmly built on the principle of merits, a credible enlargement policy is increasingly an investment in Europe’s collective security. This year’s package demonstrates that sustained reforms efforts translate into concrete progress to EU membership, as evidenced by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine. The four countries have advanced their accession negotiations, with clusters opening and chapters being provisionally closed at an unprecedented pace.

The European Commission released its 2026 Enlargement Package and proposed indicative roadmaps for Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova. The assessment presents enlargement as both a reform process and a contribution to European security, emphasizing democratic institutions, the rule of law, economic convergence and defence cooperation. Progress varies by country, and movement toward accession remains conditional on reform performance and member-state decisions. The Commission also outlined gradual integration in sectors including energy, transport, digital policy and defence. For NATO-relevant regional security, the package highlights how institutional resilience and EU enlargement interact with the wider European strategic environment. Read more

Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine raises Zaporizhia aid strike death toll to at least 50 | Al Jazeera

By Anadolu and Reuters  |  6 November 2026

Acting regional governor Mykhailo Semikin later said that the death toll reached 53 people, as rescuers continued their search for missing bodies for the fifth day. Al Jazeera was not able to independently verify that figure. Local police on Wednesday said that 59 people were listed as missing, though some might be among the bodies already found. “As many as 39 people may still remain trapped under the debris,” they said. As rescuers continue to work, specialists have been taking DNA samples to identify the bodies. Continuing Russian attacks have also remained a constant threat to the rescue operation. Ukraine said that Russian aircraft bombed a former school near the front lines on Monday, which civilians used for weekly aid handouts.

Ukrainian authorities said that at least fifty people died following the 2 November air attack on a former school serving as a humanitarian distribution location in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhia region. A regional official later reported fifty-three deaths, a higher figure that Al Jazeera explicitly said it could not independently verify. Rescue workers continued searching the rubble and collecting DNA samples while additional people remained missing. Ukrainian officials described a subsequent strike on a shelter, and the United Nations human rights mission reportedly raised international-law concerns. The episode illustrates civilian-protection risks and the importance of differentiating evolving casualty claims from confirmed reporting. Read more

Focus Point: Regional Security – South Caucasus and Black Sea Security

War widens in the Black Sea in a test of NATO red lines | Reuters

By Tom Balmforth and Luiza Ilie  |  3 November 2026

After seven strikes on cargo ships near NATO members Romania and Bulgaria last month, the US-led military alliance said it would deploy maritime patrol aircraft, radars and drones to bolster its eastern flank in the Black Sea. Three days later, on October 23, another ship was struck just outside Romanian waters. And last week a Greek container ship was sunk by naval drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. Unabating attacks show how the escalating maritime war between Russia and Ukraine is expanding into a major challenge for NATO in the Black Sea that has left littoral member states such as Romania and Bulgaria exposed. Military analysts said they had little doubt that these were Russian attacks.

Reuters documented an escalation in attacks on commercial shipping near NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, including vessels struck near territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. Analysts cited in the report attributed some incidents to Russia, but Bucharest and Sofia did not uniformly assign responsibility for specific attacks, and Moscow denied targeting neighboring states. NATO described its commitment to defending members as firm while pointing to enhanced surveillance and the need for counter-drone capabilities. The reporting also detailed disruptions to grain and oil shipments and pressure on alternative export routes. The security concern extends beyond individual vessels to alliance deterrence and Black Sea infrastructure. Read more

Focus Point: Regional Security – Transatlantic Security/European Security

Ukraine must be part of Europe’s security architecture, EU foreign policy chief says | Reuters

By Reuters (reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta)  |  6 November 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin has no veto on European security matters and Ukraine must become fully integrated into European security architecture, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday. “We already have European security architecture in place. NATO and the European Union both have their respective roles. We must make sure Ukraine is integrated into this architecture,” she said in Warsaw, speaking alongside Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Kallas added that the EU must play a role in hammering out any peace deal and said that Russian sabotage against Europe must stop.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Warsaw that Russia should not hold a veto over Europe’s security arrangements and that Ukraine must be integrated into the existing NATO and EU security framework. Speaking alongside Polish and Ukrainian foreign ministers, she emphasized the need for an EU role in negotiating any settlement and called for Russian sabotage activity in Europe to stop. These remarks express a European diplomatic position, not a completed agreement providing Ukraine with NATO membership or security guarantees. The statement clarifies European institutional priorities as Washington pursues renewed negotiations over the war. Read more

Focus Point: Security and Defense Policy – Russia-Ukraine War

Putin wants peace talks. He doesn’t want peace. | Atlantic Council

By John E. Herbst  |  6 November 2026

In the wake of Putin’s rejection of the peace proposal Witkoff offered last month, it seems that Team Trump chose to focus the Abu Dhabi talks on a new security architecture for Europe, a legitimate subject when considering a possible end to the war in Ukraine. The administration announced that it had put together an approach that all sides could accept. And to their credit, Witkoff and his fellow special envoy, Jared Kushner, stopped in Brussels on Thursday to go over the plan with Ukraine and the Europeans. Even more notable was that the administration’s plan includes a major role for NATO in providing security. While these developments are positive, there is no indication that the underlying dynamics of the negotiations have changed.

In an Atlantic Council commentary, former US ambassador John E. Herbst argues that Moscow’s participation in renewed Abu Dhabi negotiations should not be mistaken for evidence that President Vladimir Putin is ready to make meaningful compromises. Herbst interprets Russia’s previous positions and US diplomatic concessions as part of a strategy to preserve Moscow’s leverage over Ukraine. His assessment also questions the impact of changes in Washington’s approach on prospects for a durable settlement. These are the author’s judgments rather than independently established facts about Putin’s intentions. The commentary adds a clearly attributed analytical perspective alongside the issue’s straight reporting on European security. Read more

Focus Point: Regional Security – Indo-Pacific Security

How to prevent an energy quarantine of Taiwan | Atlantic Council

By Joseph Webster  |  2 November 2026

A quarantine to cut off Taiwan’s energy supply would be particularly effective as a coercive tool. Taiwan has virtually no indigenous production of oil, natural gas, or coal, rendering it almost totally reliant on seaborne imports for hydrocarbons. Beijing has long understood the importance of energy security in a Taiwan contingency. It is currently much less vulnerable to an energy outage and is prepared to weather a cutoff of some of its own energy imports as needed. An energy quarantine of Taiwan would be a grave matter for the United States. Taiwan is strategically important to Washington due to its geography, deep technological expertise, and position as a critical node in artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains.

Atlantic Council analyst Joseph Webster examines the possibility that China could pressure Taiwan by restricting energy shipments without launching a conventional invasion or comprehensive blockade. He argues that Taiwan’s dependence on imported fuels creates a vulnerability that Beijing might exploit through selective maritime interdictions. The issue brief outlines potential countermeasures, including diversified energy sourcing, strategic storage and diesel-based backup generation, particularly in northern Taiwan. Its discussion of a possible risk peak later this decade is a scenario-based assessment, not evidence that Beijing has made a confirmed operational decision. The analysis links energy resilience to deterrence and wider Indo-Pacific security. Read more

Way Ahead | 9–15 November 2026

Elisabeth Braw on “Undersea War” and the battle over cables and pipelines

10 November 2026 | 3:00 p.m. ET  |  Atlantic Council, Transatlantic Security Initiative

Discussion of undersea cables, pipelines and the implications of infrastructure vulnerability for transatlantic deterrence and maritime security. Event details

The Impossible State Live Podcast: Camp David, Three Years On: Still Standing?

10 November 2026 | 11:00–11:40 a.m. EST  |  CSIS, Korea Chair

Panel discussion about the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral partnership and emerging strategic priorities ahead of APEC. Event details

Israel’s Elections and the Future of the Middle East

12 November 2026 | 10:00–11:00 a.m. EST  |  CSIS, Middle East Program

Expert discussion of the implications of Israel’s elections for regional security, conflict risks and US engagement. Event details

 

Radar Weekly subscription  |  NAVI Research Institute

This edition of NAVI Radar Weekly was produced by Jordan J. A. Rezende De Lucia.

Disclaimer: AI technologies were utilized to support the content creation and drafting process for NAVI Radar Weekly.

The NAVI Research Institute is the research division of NATO Veterans Initiative - NAVI that provides a unique perspective to transatlantic leaders and societies on peace and security through the lens of NATO's founding principles of rule of law, democracy, human rights, and individual liberties. The NAVI Research Institute was officially established by the NAVI Board on July 16th, 2023.

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