NATO Ministers gather in Brussels

Defense ministers from NATO’s 32 member states convened in Brussels on October 15 to address regional security challenges, defense cooperation and continued support for Ukraine. Türkiye is represented at the meeting by Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler.

In his opening remarks, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the main focus of the meeting would be on reinforcing the Alliance’s defense and deterrence posture. He highlighted that ministers would review the implementation of key decisions made at the NATO Summit in The Hague, including historic commitments to increase defense spending and strengthen industrial cooperation.

“This session will focus on how we will make our deterrence and defense even stronger, building on the historic decisions taken at the Summit in The Hague to massively increase defense spending and defense production,” Rutte said.

He added that NATO’s new “Eastern Sentry” initiative, aimed at bolstering security along the Alliance’s eastern flank, would be discussed, along with new measures to counter the growing threat posed by drones.

New Initiative to Counter Drone Threats

Rutte announced that NATO would unveil a new initiative to address the evolving threat from drones. “We will launch further work to tackle the challenges we face from drones,” he said, emphasizing that the issue has become increasingly urgent in light of recent developments.

Continued Support for Ukraine

Support for Ukraine remains a central agenda item. Rutte reaffirmed NATO’s commitment to assisting Kyiv, noting that Allied support has been effective in maintaining pressure on Russia and strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

“Our support is putting pressure on Putin today, and our support to help Ukraine strengthen its own capabilities for the long term will help deter any Russian aggression in the future,” Rutte said.

He also referred to the new U.S.-led program, launched in August, which provides lethal and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine funded by NATO Allies. “Already 2 billion dollars have been committed, and I expect many new announcements today,” Rutte noted.

Engagements with Ukraine and Key Allies

The meeting includes sessions of both the NATO-Ukraine Council and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, where Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal is participating alongside EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. The discussions are co-led by the defense ministers of Germany and the United Kingdom, Boris Pistorius and John Healey.

During his meeting with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Rutte underlined the importance of transatlantic unity and acknowledged the U.S. contribution under President Trump’s leadership to balance defense spending across NATO members. “We are doing everything collectively to keep Ukraine strong,” he said.

Türkiye’s Participation

Minister Yaşar Güler is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several counterparts on the sidelines of the summit. These talks will address Türkiye’s defense and security policies, as well as regional developments.

The gathering is expected to conclude with a review of NATO’s operational readiness, industrial cooperation across the Alliance, and ongoing efforts to ensure collective defense in response to emerging security threats.