Estonia
HEVI Optronics Plans New Defense Factory Near Tallinn
Estonia’s HEVI Optronics will build a new factory near Tallinn to expand production, testing and development of electro-optical defense systems.
Industry
Insights into defense and ammunition manufacturing across Europe — from regional suppliers to global industry leaders driving investment, innovation, and security.
EU Defense Funding
EU and NATO Defense Funding Glossary: SAFE, EDIP, PESCO Explained
SAFE, EDIP, PESCO, DIANA. A plain-language glossary of the EU and NATO defense funding instruments and programs currently active, kept updated as new ones launch.
Weekly Briefing
CEE & SEE Defense Weekly Briefing: August 2–8, 2026
This week: what NATO's Baltic Drone Wall actually is behind the buzzword, Estonia's €2.34B SAFE loan, Zelensky's expected first visit to Belgrade, and Poland's deepening ties with Israeli defense industry.
Ukraine
Fire Point CEO: From Architect to Ukraine's Missile Builder
Iryna Terekh left architecture to run Fire Point. In a new interview she details the FP-9 ballistic missile, a Diehl Defense tie-up, and plans for a satellite constellation.
NATO
Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan Pact Raises NATO Article 5 Questions
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact on August 7, raising new questions over NATO Article 5, Article 8 and regional deterrence.
NATO
NATO Launches New Tools to Expand Defense Industry Output
NATO launched the Front Door for Industry and NATO Engine to simplify procurement access and connect factory capacity across the Alliance.
Estonia
Estonia Directs €2.34B SAFE Loan to Air Defense, Ukraine
Estonia will use a €2.34 billion EU SAFE loan for air defense, military vehicles, ammunition, and unmanned systems for Ukraine through 2030.
Serbia
Zelensky Expected in Serbia as Belgrade and Kyiv Deepen Ties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Serbia in what would be his first trip to Belgrade since Russia's full-scale invasion. The visit could signal a further expansion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries.
Analysis
Wagner's Successor Force Is Losing the War It Was Sent to Win
He organized Wagner's deployment to Mali and paid for it with his life. Eighteen months after Russia rebranded its mercenaries as a "cleaner" state force, the war it promised to win is the one killing it.
Lithuania
Lithuania Advances Local Production of Ukrainian Drones
Lithuania is moving to localize production of Ukrainian-designed drones under a bilateral Drone Deal, deepening defense-industrial cooperation through technology transfer and joint manufacturing while strengthening NATO's eastern flank.
Latvia
Patria Takes Full Ownership of Defence Partnership Latvia
Patria has acquired full ownership of Defence Partnership Latvia, consolidating its Latvian manufacturing and sustainment operations as demand for armored vehicle production and lifecycle support continues to grow across the Baltic region.
Bulgaria
Starbase Europe Plans Space Defense Hub Near Sofia
Starbase Europe plans to establish a space and defense innovation hub near Sofia, supporting Bulgaria's ambitions to expand its aerospace ecosystem and attract investment in dual-use technologies.