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,...
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. 12 February 2026 2 MIN READ Good morning all of you and welcome to this meeting of NATO Defence Ministers. Today, we will address how we are further strengthening and adapting our deterrence and defence, and of course continuing our support for Ukraine. We are already seeing significant increases in Allied defence spending. Investment is up by tens of billions. And we will review progress on the 5% defence investment commitment agreed in The Hague last year. We will discuss enhancing our deterrence and defence posture. That includes Integrated Air and Missile Defence. Strengthening our command and control, Improving our readiness, As well as our ability to deploy and sustain forces through host nation support. We will also take stock of our work to enhance the defence industrial base across the Alliance. To ensure that our militaries have the capabilities they need to keep our people safe. All this is essential for our shared security across the Alliance. From the South, to the High North and Arctic. From the East, to the West. NATO is always on duty to deter and defend. This is why we have just launched Arctic Sentry, Given Russia’s increased military activity and China’s growing interest in the High North. We will also discuss our continued support for Ukraine. As the United States continues to drive efforts to bring the war to a just and lasting end, Russia continues to pursue civilian targets, including energy infrastructure. So it is still essential that Allies continue to step up support – including through NATO’s PURL initiative. It is ensuring that essential US equipment is delivered to Ukraine, paid for by Allies and partners. This afternoon, we will hold a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. We will be joined by Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. And he will brief us on the situation on the ground, and on Ukraine’s long-term needs. We will also be joined by the office of the EU High Representative, as we work closely with the European Union on Ukraine, and of course on so many other issues. Ukraine’s security is linked with our own. We must ensure that when this war ends, Russia will never try again to invade Ukraine. This concludes this public part of our meeting. I want to thank the media for joining us, which means could you please leave the room? Link was copied to clipboard GALLERIES Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ Session 12 February 2026 1 / 41 [from left to right] Adris Spruds, Minister of Defence of Latvia, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Defence of Estonia, and Margarita Robles, Minister of Defence of Spain Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans of France and Nikos Dendias, Minister of Defence of Greece [from left to right] Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans of France, Hanno Pevkur, Minister of Defence of Estonia and Nikos Dendias, Minister of Defence of Greece [from left to right] Pirro Vengu, Minister of Defence of Albania, Ruben Brekelmans, Minister of Defence of The Netherlands and Boris Pistorius, Minister of Defence of Germany NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska and Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus G. Grynkewich Robert Kalinak, Minister of Defence of Slovakia Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers' Session NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Boris Pistorius, Minister of Defence of Germany NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy [from left to right] Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Andris Spruds, Minister of Defence of Latvia NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister of Defence of Iceland US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence of Luxembourg NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Elbridge Colby, US Under Secretary of War for Policy NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Pirro Vengu, Minister of Defence of Albania, and Atanas Zaprianov, Minister of Defence of Bulgaria Hanno Pevkur (Minister of Defence, Estonia), Andris Sprūds (Minister of Defence, Latvia), Elbridge A. Colby (US Under Secretary of War), NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Pål Jonson (Minister of Defence, Sweden) Yuriko Backes (Minister of Defence, Luxembourg) and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska Chair of the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and Lieutenant General Remigijus Baltrėnas(Director General of the International Military Staff) Boris Pistorius (Minister of Defence, Germany) and Nikolaos Dendias (Minister of Defence, Greece) Māris Riekstiņš (NATO Permanent Representative for Latvia), Darius Jauniškis (NATO Permanent Representative for Lithuania) and Robertas Kaunas (Minister of Defence, Lithuania) Centre: Ruben Brekelmans (Minister of Defence, Netherlands) and Elbridge A. Colby (US Under Secretary of War) Hanno Pevkur (Minister of Defence, Estonia) and Andris Sprūds (Minister of Defence, Latvia), Left: Vlado Misajlovski (Minister of Defence, North Macedonia) Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky (Minister of Defence, Hungary) and Boris Pistorius (Minister of Defence, Germany) Nikolaos Dendias (Minister of Defence, Greece) and Vasiliki Gounari (NATO Permanent Representative for Greece) Chair of the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone shaking hands with Elbridge A. Colby (US Under Secretary of War) NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier View of the room View of the room Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Catherine Vautrin (Minister of the Armed Forces, France) and Margarita Robles (Minister of Defence, Spain) Chair of the Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (Minister of Defence, Poland) and Paulo Vizeu Pinheiro (NATO Permanent Representative for Portugal) Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Back VIEW METADATA VIEW IMAGE Assets details Description Creation date Location Themes Reference Resolution Aspect radio Format Usage right Credit GALLERIES Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ Session Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ Session Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers session (B-ROLL) View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers’ Session Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General at the meeting of the NAC in Defence Ministers’ Session View usage rights Usage rights CLOSE This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. TITLE DATE DURATION Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers' Session 0:00 / 0:00 Audio Language Selection: Audio Language Selection: Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers' Session 0:00 / 0:00 Audio Language Selection: Audio Language Selection: Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers' Session 0:00 / 0:00 Audio Language Selection: Audio Language Selection: Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General at the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Defence Ministers' Session 0:00 / 0:00 Audio Language Selection: Audio Language Selection: Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Download Playback speed Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Back 0.25 0.5 0.75 Normal 1.25 1.5 1.75 2 Opening remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels 1 / 1 12 Feb 2026 Brussels, Belgium
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