Northern Europe defense conference focuses on NATO readiness and Eastern Flank defense
Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, co-chaired the 2026 Northern Europe Chiefs of Defense Conference in Vilnius, Latvia, alongside General Raimundas Vaikšnoras, Chief of Defence of Lithuania.
The conference was held on May 11 and 12 and brought together senior military leaders from across the region and Allied nations. The event was focused on strengthening combined military operations and modern warfighting, with the stated aim of enabling Allies to improve their contributions to Europe's conventional defense.
Participants represented the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Discussions at the conference covered the regional threat environment, lessons learned from Russia's war against Ukraine, NATO deterrence and defense, and Allied readiness to operate together in crisis or conflict scenarios.
Leaders also addressed the implications of simultaneous and protracted conflicts, defense acquisition reform, capability acceleration, military logistics development, and the strengthening of an integrated defense architecture across NATO's Eastern Flank. Grynkewich said the strategic environment is "very complex and dangerous" and said the possibility of simultaneous and sustained military operations is a reminder that "peace requires strength." He said the goal of the conference was to ensure a shared understanding of challenges and to chart a path forward in northern Europe.
Vaikšnoras said transatlantic unity and close cooperation with Allies and strategic partners remain among the most important elements of NATO's deterrence and defense posture. He said discussions of this kind help NATO adapt faster, share real-world lessons learned, and strengthen collective readiness to act together.
The event also addressed the operationalization of the enhanced defense line on NATO's Eastern Flank, coordination among Allied forces, military mobility, logistics, the alignment of regional defense plans, and the integration of modern technologies, unmanned and counter-unmanned systems.
