Category: NATO

Established in 2024, the Community brings together quantum experts from national governments, industry, academia, funding bodies, and research institutions from 22 Allies. 
 
Addressing the Community at a meeting at NATO Headquarters on 12 May, NATO’s Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska thanked Denmark for its leading role as TQC inaugural Chair and wished the United Kingdom a successful year in this position. She stressed that TQC provides a unique platform for collaboration between quantum and defence industry and NATO end-users. 
 
Representatives from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korean and the EU also took part in this week’s discussions. “This is what this Transatlantic Quantum Community is all about”, the Deputy Secretary General said. Such collaboration will help “harness the opportunities and mitigate the risks that these game-changing technologies present” and make sure that we “stay ahead – and stay safe” she concluded.
 
The Transatlantic Quantum Community is the first deliverable of NATO’s quantum strategy approved in 2023.

At the Military Committee in Permanent Session, Admiral Cubides briefed NATO Military Representatives on Colombia’s security strategy and leading role in countering illicit trafficking through Operation ORION. During the session, CMC recognised “Colombia’s extensive experience in maritime security and tackling organised crime”, with a wider link to Colombia’s counter-terrorism agenda.

During an official meeting, Admiral Cavo Dragone highlighted Colombia’s role as a Global Partner, the successful implementation of practical military cooperation between NATO and Colombia, and addressed ways to further strengthen the partnership between the Alliance and its only South American Partner.

Admiral Cubides also met with the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff, Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak, where the linkages between NATO and Colombia’s respective security environments were discussed. The need for strong partnerships with like-minded nations such as Colombia aiming at maintaining the rules-based international order was also underlined.  

The next engagement for Admiral Cubides was a briefing by Major General Dacian-Tiberiu Serban, Director of the IMS Cooperative Security Division. Both parties used the opportunity to discuss practical elements of military cooperation between NATO and Colombia, defined by the political goals set in Colombia’s Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP) and translated into military objectives facilitating the implementation of practical military cooperation. As the current ITPP cycle is coming to an end, and the negotiations for the next ITPP cycle have started, Admiral Cubides and Major General Serban acknowledged the need to continue engaging in strong, mutually beneficial military cooperation aimed at interoperability between Colombia and NATO.

NATO and Colombia began their cooperation in 2015, which only grew following Colombia’s signing of their ITPP in 2021. At the time, Colombia was the first partner country to sign an ITPP, paving the way for a more streamlined approach to NATO partnerships. Today, the cooperation covers a wide range of issues, including cyber security, terrorism, the fight against corruption and maritime security. 

Operation ORION is a multilateral counter narcotics campaign which has been coordinated by Colombia and consists of numerous international actors, including NATO Allies and Partner countries.

The very first event was the Munich Leaders Meeting, organized by the Munich Security Conference, gathering senior leaders from both sides of the Atlantic to hold informal discussions on the most pressing security and geopolitical developments. CMC used the platform for a frank exchange emphasising that “cohesion is critical, vis-à-vis common threats and challenges. Unity across NATO isn’t just a political ambition, it’s a strategic requirement. And unity must extend beyond governments, to include our economies, societies, and defence communities.” Furthermore, he stressed that “in today’s global security environment, unilateral actions may offer short-term gains, but enduring stability and legitimate deterrence are only possible through unity and trust.”

Another high-level event attended by the CMC was the Strategic Dialogue with NATO Pacific Partners, hosted by NATO Allied Command Transformation. This engagement focused on fostering a strategic level civil-military dialogue between NATO and its Indo-Pacific Partners, by encouraging open conversations on common topics of interest. In the occasion, CMC highlighted that “the NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting held last January, which brought together more than twenty-five partner Chiefs of Defence, underscored how deeply we value these relationships, across the globe, and in the Indo-Pacific among the most relevant.” He concluded reminding that “we are united by common purposes: securing peace, preserving freedom, and protecting the generations to come.”

CMC’s final event took place at the Allied Warfighters Talks, co-organized by NATO ACT and the Vice Chief of the Joint Staff, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The event brought together high-level military leaders from across the Alliance, with a common objective of strengthen the collective warfighting capabilities of NATO. There CMC used the opportunity to discuss how the Alliance can shape its approach to deterrence, capability development, and interoperability. Ensuring that NATO and each of its Allied members remain prepared for any challenges that may arise.

Finally, while in Washington, Admiral Cavo Dragone paid respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, a site that honours American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. On behalf of the NATO Military Committee, he extended thanks to the United States for “enduring as a force for deterrence, defence and stability.”

Mr Merz visited NATO in his first week in office as German chancellor. Secretary General Rutte emphasised Germany’s central role in the Alliance. “Germany is a leading power in Europe. And you play a crucial role within NATO. Your contributions to our collective security are substantial.”

He commended Germany’s increased defence spending as we “build a stronger, fairer and more lethal NATO.” 

“We need to ensure our militaries have the capabilities they need to deter and defend – and keep our one billion people safe,” Mr Rutte said at a joint press conference.

Mr. Colomina hailed the continued development of NATO-Kuwait relations and highlighted the wide scope of activities carried out by the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre. “Kuwait was the first country to join the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative in 2004. Since then, it cooperates with NATO within this framework, which is based upon joint ownership, focuses on political dialogue and practical cooperation, and reflects the mutual interest of NATO and its partner countries in the Gulf region,” he said; adding that “together with high-visibility events, informal meetings and security ties developed with Gulf partners have enabled discussions on security-related issues of common interest, on the perceptions of NATO in the Gulf, as well as on ways to develop our partnership.”

The Special Representative also underscored that the “NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Centre – which was inaugurated in January 2017 – is an important regional hub for partnership and cooperation between NATO and the Gulf region, as it provides a forum to facilitate political dialogue among Allies and their partners from the Gulf region, with the aims of discussing global and security matters, identifying opportunities for cooperation and developing a common understanding of security challenges, and; in 2024, for example, the Centre conducted activities on various topics, such as food security, maritime security, and defence education.”

The visit provided an opportunity to take stock on the political dialogue and practical cooperation developed between NATO and Kuwait. “Kuwait and NATO participate in political consultations at various levels, with the aim of exchanging views on matters of shared interest in the Gulf region and the broader Middle East; Kuwait and NATO are also engaged in civil and military practical cooperation; for instance Kuwaiti civil and military personnel participate in many courses, trainings and activities offered by NATO to partners, in particular in the areas of civil emergency planning and disaster preparedness, non-proliferation and counter terrorism,” the Special Representative said.

Media advisory

13:30 (CEST) Joint press conference by the Secretary General and the Federal Chancellor

Media coverage

• Media representatives who have annual accreditation to NATO can attend the event in person.
• Media representatives without annual accreditation and who are interested in covering the event should email NatoAccreditations@hq.nato.int. Please note that due to the short time to process applications, ad-hoc accreditation may not be guaranteed.
• The press statements will be streamed live on the NATO website and on X @NATOPress. A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as photographs, will be on the NATO website.
• The video can be downloaded from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

For more information:
For general queries: Contact the NATO Press Office
Follow us on X: @NATO, @SecGenNATO and @NATOPress

Acts of intentional interference carried out by state and non-state actors – for instance deliberate jamming or sending false Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) signals – can cause delays, rerouting or cancellation of take-offs and landings, and have significant negative economic impact on transport, global trade, and tourism. 

The NATO Aviation Committee has noted that, as well as happening more often, and across different regions – including in the Baltic, Black Sea and Mediterranean regions – such interference is increasingly sophisticated. This is a cause for concern and warrants further action to make civil aviation more resilient, including by upgrading civil and military mechanisms, deploying ground based infrastructure, developing a more agile reporting and tracking system, and further bolstering cooperation with key international partners to counter GNSS interference.

The Aviation Committee is the senior civil-military NATO body, which advises the North Atlantic Council on all relevant aspects contributing to aviation safety and security, in support of the full range of NATO’s missions.  

Effective logistics for large-scale collective defence operations demand a whole-of-government effort. Much of what Allied armed forces require is sourced through commercial civilian providers. So as part of NATO’s work in this area, extensive planning, preparation, and cooperation among Allies involves both military and civilian elements. 

NATO’s new generation of defence plans are driving logistics preparations for collective defence. As a result of the biggest reinforcement of the Alliance’s collective defence in a generation, considerations on logistics have changed –as Allies need to work collectively to increase NATO’s logistics support in areas such as maintenance, supplies, stockpiling, and medical support.

Allies are increasing national investment in their military logistics capabilities through the NATO Defence Planning Process, and through the delivery of host nation support. Host nation support underpins NATO’s reinforcement and sustainment network, ensuring the necessary supporting structures and assets so that Allied forces can effectively and rapidly enter, transit, and operate across Alliance territory. NATO maintains and continues to evolve the operational standards and doctrine that form the basis for ‘interoperability’ among Allies and with partners.

In May 2024, Allies approved the Logistics Action Plan, which organises and directs efforts needed to deliver the necessary changes in logistics. Cooperation among Allies is vital to effectively support and sustain military operations at the scope and scale of collective defence. 

On Wednesday, (07 May 2025) ahead of this year’s NATO Summit in The Hague, the Logistics Committee, NATO’s senior advisory body on logistics, met to discuss the progress made on logistics and enablement over the last year and to determine priorities. During the meeting, co-chaired by DCMC and Acting ASG DPP, National Logistics Directors addressed a range of issues, including rail transport capacity as a key means of moving and receiving reinforcements, assessing the Alliance’s fuel supply needs for collective defence, and considering logistics-related lessons learnt from Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 and Steadfast Dart 2025. The NATO Secretary General also addressed the committee, and recognised their leadership of and commitment to work that is central to further strengthening the Alliance.

Media advisory

9:15 (CEST) Joint remarks by the Deputy Secretary General with representatives of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Media coverage

• Media representatives with annual accreditation to NATO can attend the event in person. 
• The pool of visual media covering the joint remarks will meet in front of the Press Shop at NATO HQ, at 08:45.
• The remarks will be streamed live on the NATO website and on X @NATOPress. A transcript of the Secretary General’s remarks, as well as photographs, will be on the NATO website.
• Video can be downloaded from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

For more information:
For general queries: contact the NATO Press Office
Follow us on X: @NATO, @SecGenNATO and @NATOPress

NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence, Major General Paul Lynch, opened the meeting by emphasising that “today, the NIE is better postured than ever to support the Allied decision-making on contemporary and future challenges.” He also acknowledged that “the effectiveness of our deterrence and defence posture relies precisely on NATO’s ability to adapt to an ever-changing world. And this is particularly true for Intelligence and Security.” 

The very productive meeting, attended by participants from 7 COEs, ACT and NATO HQ, was split into three sessions, with the first being briefs and discussions about COEs’ initiatives. The second session highlighted innovation-related activities, with each COE providing agile and insightful ideas to foster innovation. The final session was open to NATO intelligence providers, Partners and Allied industries, with an in-depth discussion about the future of intelligence. 

Sharing adaptive and impactful intelligence initiatives has become even more critical due to the rapidly changing global security environment. The meeting of NATO’s COEs and the NIE remains crucial to prepare the Alliance for the challenges of today and tomorrow, with COEs as essential actors in providing the Alliance with important information for its current and future posture. COEs act as a force multiplier, offering expertise across their four core tasks: exercise and evaluation, analysis and lessons learned, doctrine development and standardisation, and concept development and experimentation.