18 April 2026 12:44 UTC · NATO · NATO News · Source · Email X Link

NATO says Shekerinska underscores defence investment progress

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Allies increasing defence investment and production
NATO reaffirms support for Ukraine and industry cooperation

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On 18 April 2026 NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska participated in an Antalya Diplomacy Forum panel on securing Europe ahead of the NATO Ankara Summit.
Shekerinska said Allies will demonstrate progress on commitments from the Hague Summit and emphasized that increased defence investment and accelerated defence production are strengthening NATO.
Shekerinska reaffirmed NATO’s unwavering commitment to Ukraine, said Allies are increasing military support and working with Ukraine’s defence industry including through the UNITE-Brave programme, and highlighted cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Shekerinska held bilateral meetings with officials from Albania, Lithuania, Ukraine, Jordan and Turkey.

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Create an account Reset password Already have an account? Log in From now on you can download videos from our website If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below. Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password. The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Click the button to return to the page you were on and log in with your new password. 18 April 2026 1 MIN READ On Saturday (18 April 2026), NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska participated in panel at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on “Securing Europe: Unity and Strategic Renewal towards the NATO Ankara Summit”. Ms Shekerinska underscored that in Ankara, Allies will demonstrate progress on the commitments made at the NATO Summit in The Hague Summit last year. The Deputy Secretary General stressed the historic decisions to increase defence investment and accelerate defence production are making NATO stronger. Our security is strongest when it is transatlantic, she said. The Deputy Secretary General reminded the audience that while European Allies and Canada are increasing their defence investments and taking greater responsibility for their security, acquiring more capabilities and technologies are essential. On industry, Ms Shekerinska highlighted the importance of the Allies working with partners, like Ukraine and those in the Indo-Pacific. On Ukraine, the Deputy Secretary General reaffirmed NATO’s unwavering commitment and explained that Allies are increasing their military support and working with Ukraine’s defence industry, including through the UNITE-Brave programme. During her visit to Antalya, the Deputy Secretary General had bilateral meetings with Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Levent Gümrükçü. Link was copied to clipboard

NATO says Shekerinska underscores defence investment progress

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