NATO Chiefs of Defence gather in Riga for the Military Committee Conference

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NATO’s highest Military Authority, the NATO Military Committee, met in Riga, Latvia, on 26-27 September 2025. The 32 NATO Chiefs of Defence, together with the Strategic Commanders, discussed military developments within the Alliance, particularly in face of increasingly worrying threats to the Euro-Atlantic security, and in light of the decisions taken at the historic NATO Summit in The Hague, in June 2025.

The Chair of the Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, opened the Conference by praising Latvia for hosting this year’s Conference, and for its relevant contributions to the NATO’s deterrence and defence. “Our presence here in the Baltics is an unmistakable signal of NATO’s cohesion and solidarity towards our fellow Allies on the Eastern Flank,” said CMC in Riga.

During the first session, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus G. Grynkewich, updated the Committee on the status of Operations, Missions, Exercises, and the regional plans to further bolster the Alliance’s Deterrence and Defence posture, against NATO's recognised threats, especially Russia.

In the second session, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Admiral Pierre Vandier, reviewed with the Chiefs of Defence the ongoing progress on NATO's Defence Planning Process, while assessing the need to swiftly adopt new technologies, to enhance NATO’s capacity, interoperability and defence industrial base, based also on the urgent calls by Allied leaders at the Summit.

Overall, at a moment where the Alliance is facing increasing hybrid, reckless behaviors, the Military Committee firmly concurred on the need to further reinforce the Alliance’s posture and capabilities to effectively tackle a degraded security scenario. “Every threat to NATO’s air, land and sea space will be dealt with a resolute and proportionate response. We are ready!” stated the Admiral addressing journalists after the meeting, specifically in regard to the recent airspace violation, adding that “there must be no doubt about it. Our Supreme Allied Commander Europe has all the tools he needs. We do not seek confrontation, but we will not hesitate to undertake any actions deemed necessary for our collective defence.” Admiral Cavo Dragone stated once again that NATO stands as the most solid and valuable political-military Alliance that history has known.

The NATO Military Committee meets in Chiefs of Defence Session twice a year at its Headquarters in Brussels, and once a year it holds a Conference co-organised and hosted by an Allied member state. The next plenary meeting is scheduled for January 2026, in Brussels. On a day-to-day basis, its work is carried out by the permanent Military Representatives at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

View the Press Conference video