Category: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

After completing academic studies in public administration and in economic and social sciences, Mr. Lepers served from 1999 to 2016 in the French Ministry of Defence, assuming responsibilities of increasing scope and complexity. His assignments covered audit, internal control, general administration, public procurement, finance and logistics, complemented by secondments abroad in support of external operations. From 2016 to 2023, he continued his professional path at the French Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), la Cour des comptes, where he conducted control, peer review and international cooperation activities. Throughout these roles, he managed the entire process of service delivery – from the design of work programmes to their operational implementation and follow-up – ensuring both rigor and efficiency.

Mr. Lepers began his career as Deputy Head of Infrastructure at Ventiseri-Solenzara Air Base 126, an advanced base in Corsica dedicated to tactical training and NATO aircraft deployments. He then served for four years as Head of administrative, financial and logistical support at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Air Base 943. These responsibilities enabled him to develop strong leadership skills and contribute to strategic initiatives for pooling support services, while also taking part in major national operations such as the Maritime Pollution Plan (POLMAR), forest fire control under the Adapted Monitoring Module (MAS), disaster relief following the Lothar and Martin storms, and the VIGIPIRATE enhanced security system at Nice International Airport. He also participated in large-scale exercises, including OPÉRA at Creil Air Base 110 and EOLO in Portugal and Spain, and obtained specialist qualifications in explosive ordnance reconnaissance (Reco NEDEX) and in the command of measures against nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical threats (NRBC).

He subsequently served at the Central Directorate of the Air Commissariat in Paris, where he combined staff officer functions with operational deployments to Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Lebanon and India. In these complex multinational environments, he successfully led administrative, financial and logistical teams, demonstrating both adaptability and authority.

In 2016, Mr. Lepers was appointed financial magistrate at the Cour des comptes, where he carried out performance, financial and jurisdictional audits in critical sectors including environment, agriculture, energy and transport. From 2018 to 2023, he held the position of Deputy Director – and twice acted as Director – of the Directorate of International Relations, External Audit and Francophonie. In this capacity, he coordinated multilateral and bilateral cooperation initiatives with prominent international organisations such as the Forum of SAIs with jurisdiction, AISCCUF, INTOSAI, EUROSAI and the EU SAI Contact Committee. His responsibilities also encompassed supporting the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, overseeing projects financed by multiple donors, and contributing to the development of international audit standards.

Mr. Lepers holds several internationally recognised professional certifications, including Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), Certified Risk Management Assurance (CRMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS). His extensive experience in both internal and external audit, combined with his operational expertise and managerial acumen, ensures that the IBAN will continue to operate in full alignment with the highest standards of professionalism, transparency and good governan

“I commend Germany for stepping up once again. This delivery will help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression,” said the Secretary General. “Germany is the largest European contributor of military aid to Ukraine, and today’s announcement further underlines its commitment to help the Ukrainian people defend their freedom and sovereignty,” he added.

Germany’s contribution under the PURL initiative follows earlier announcements by the Netherlands, and a joint pledge from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Each package is valued at around $500 million, and is designed to meet Ukraine’s most urgent operational requirements with equipment and munitions sourced from U.S. stockpiles.

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The session featured the participation of Lieutenant Colonel Alexandra Duval, Senior Staff Officer for Policy and Doctrine at the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group Headquarters; Moa Björck, Desk Officer for Gender Equality in the Swedish Armed Forces Defence Staff; Wing Commander Sarah Tunstall, Recruiting Force Commander for the UK Royal Air Force; and Dr Megan MacKenzie, Professor in International Law and Human Security at Simon Fraser University. 

Opening the session, Lt Col Duval provided an oversight of Canada’s four-pillar recruitment process, based on attraction, processing, selection and enrolment. In this regard, she underlined different measures taken at each stage to support female enrolment targets.  Moreover, their candidates are evaluated according to the “Canadian Armed Forces Ethos,” which ensures adherence to core values, such as inclusivity.

In addition, inclusive behaviours are assessed through performance evaluations to foster a culture where both women and men feel comfortable remaining in the military for longer-term commitment. Finally, Lt Col Duval further highlighted how the challenges in balancing work with family responsibilities impact women’s long-term retention. In this regard, Canada has updated its policies to provide more comprehensive family obligations and parental leave.

Ms Björck continued the session by highlighting to the audience the Swedish Chief of Defence’s very relevant commitment to gender mainstreaming, as a means of maintaining military credibility, enjoying popular support and enhancing warfighting capabilities.

She noted the current imbalance between the civilian staff of the Swedish Armed Forces – where women are well-represented – and the military staff, which is only 17% female. In order to address this disparity, Sweden has taken several steps, e.g. information sessions in schools. Furthermore, the physical requirements for recruits have been adjusted to reflect ongoing technological advancements in warfare, and reduce barriers to entry for women. Finally, an anonymous support line for victims of sexual harassment was recently established, as an additional signal of attention to this issue.

Wg Cdr Tunstall focused on the United Kingdom’s approach to attracting the right talent from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds to the UK Royal Air Force. She noted that — compared to the near gender parity in the civil service of the UK Ministry of Defence — only 15% of the Royal Air Force is female.

Among the steps taken there to improve recruitment and retention efforts, Wg Cdr Tunstall noted adapting fitness and medical standards, as well as reviewing each applicant holistically to better fit the needs of the modern military. She also described measures to actively attract talent and target women who may not otherwise consider military services.In this sense, she suggested establishing “town show” and recruiting events, while ensuring that marketing materials display the diversity of people in the forces.

Finally, Dr MacKenzie, taking stock of her academic research, briefed about the need for measures to attract women to military careers, beyond simply removing barriers to service. She highlighted the experience of women in combat roles, acknowledging the pressure they can face in male-dominated environments.  Dr Mackenzie also pointed out serious culture issues in the military that affect women’s attrition rates, such as the sometime-wide perception of potential exposure to sexual harassment. Finally, she emphasised the need for consistent policy commitments in order to effectively address low recruitment and retention of women in the armed forces.

“Since the earliest days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Denmark, Norway and Sweden have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine. I commend these Allies for their quick efforts to get this initiative off the ground. This latest round of funding will deliver life-saving equipment and critical supplies to the front-line, strengthening Ukraine’s hand and helping them deter aggression as they pursue lasting peace.”

The announcement swiftly followed the unveiling of the first package of artillery and ammunition worth more than $500m on Monday (4 August 2025) funded by the Netherlands. Together the contributions are valued at over $1bn and represent the first two tranches of regular deliveries to Ukraine under the Alliance’s newly-launched PURL initiative.

NATO members provide 99% of military support to Ukraine. As with all Allied efforts, the PURL initiative is intended to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position as peace efforts, led by President Trump and his administration, continue.

“I commend The Netherlands for taking the lead and turning this initiative into concrete support on the ground, building on the steps taken last week by Germany to deliver more Patriot systems to Ukraine,” said the Secretary General. 

“This is about getting Ukraine the equipment it urgently needs now to defend itself against Russian aggression. The aim of all Allied assistance to Ukraine is to bring the war to a just and lasting end, in support of President Trump’s peace efforts. I have written to all NATO Allies, urging them to contribute towards this burden sharing initiative, and I expect further significant announcements from other Allies soon,” he added.

Today’s announcement follows the agreement made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on 14 July 2025. This new initiative is funded by European Allies and Canada, and will consist of regular packages, each worth roughly $500 million, containing equipment and munitions identified by Ukraine as operational priorities. These include capabilities that the United States can provide in greater volumes than Europe and Canada alone. Packages will be prepared rapidly and issued on a regular basis.

At the NATO Summit in The Hague, Allies agreed that the common responsibility of supporting Ukraine must be shared more evenly. “This new initiative delivers on this commitment, and builds directly on key decisions made by leaders in The Hague by increasing defence investment and sustaining support to Ukraine,” said Secretary General Rutte.

NATO will coordinate the delivery of the packages, including through the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) command in Wiesbaden. Working closely with Ukraine and the United States, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich will validate packages that correspond to Ukraine’s needs, such as air defence, ammunition and other critical equipment for rapid delivery from U.S. stockpiles.

PURL complements other ongoing initiatives to provide support to Ukraine, including the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) Trust Fund and the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), as well as a wide range of vital bilateral efforts by Allies and partners.
 

Validating the technical compatibility and operational readiness of Boeing’s and Airbus’ aircraft systems enables future rapid deployments and sustained aerial surveillance missions. The linkage of AWACS and MRTT represents another example of cooperation among Allies, and European Allies stepping up, demonstrating transatlantic unity and resolve. NATO’s AWACS fleet is managed by the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF), based in Geilenkirchen, Germany. The MRTT Fleet, primarily based out of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, is owned by NATO and managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) Flight Test Centre, the Multinational MRTT Unit (MMU), European Air Transport Command (EATC) and the Air Refueling Certification Agency (ARCA) provided support during the certification process.

Following the historic decisions made by leaders at the NATO Summit in The Hague, Allies will continue to future-proof NATO’s ability to guard our skies and maintain vigilance wherever it is needed, meet the new ambitious capability targets and keep our one billion people safe. 

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The initiative will provide participating Allies with a common digital service and improve interoperability in operations through more efficient data sharing. It will also support data-driven decision-making by leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Initial funding for ACE will be up to 45 million euros with participating Allies expected to allocate additional resources for specific tasks. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) will lead the execution of the project on behalf of the participating Allies. 
 
ACE will serve as the foundation for a scalable, software-driven approach to defence capabilities making the development and delivery of mission-critical applications and services faster and more secure. This in turn will enhance NATO’s ability to respond swiftly to evolving operational demands, ensuring digital systems remain responsive, updated and ready for use.

Speaking to Defence Ministers who joined for the meeting, the Secretary General highlighted the initiative that he and US President Donald J Trump announced last week to boost support for Ukraine by opening additional US assets to Ukraine through investment by Allies in Europe and Canada. This new initiative is open-ended and has already seen numerous Allies express interest in contributing. It complements a range of other initiatives through which Allies support Ukraine and provides new access to US equipment and technology that Ukraine has requested for urgent delivery. This voluntary effort will be coordinated by NATO, given the experience and infrastructure the Alliance provides, including through its command in Wiesbaden, Germany – NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) – that is already coordinating support for Ukraine and has logistical hubs in the eastern part of the Alliance. The UDCG will also continue to play a vital role.

This initiative and others bring together the three key decisions made by leaders at the NATO Summit in The Hague just a few weeks ago: increasing defence investment, ramping up defence production, and supporting Ukraine. The aim of all Allied security assistance to Ukraine is to bring the conflict to a just and lasting end as quickly as possible.