Germany
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says the EU must transform into a “European defense union,” arguing Europe can no longer depend on the U.S. or China amid rising security threats. He calls for stronger European leadership, deeper defense integration, and closer cooperation with partners.
Croatia
Croatia and the United States have reaffirmed their strategic defense partnership during the first official meeting with new U.S. Ambassador Nicole McGraw, focusing on regional security, Ukraine support, and major military modernization projects.
Montenegro
Montenegro’s parliament approves sending troops to NATO’s NSATU mission, reinforcing support for Ukraine and elevating Podgorica’s role inside the Alliance despite domestic political tensions.
Germany
Germany is set to bring back mandatory military service for all men aged 18 and above, combining compulsory registration with a volunteer-first model and a lottery system if numbers fall short. The plan aims to build a 200,000-strong reserve force as Berlin accelerates its defense readiness.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Navy has started sea trials of its first locally built modern patrol ship Hrabri, part of a €503 million deal with Germany’s NVL Group, marking a turning point in Bulgaria’s naval modernization.
Startups
Lithuanian-Danish UAV maker Monopulse has secured €1.12 million from the national development bank ILTE to expand production of its NATO-grade drones. The funding underscores the Baltic region’s growing role in Europe’s defense-tech ecosystem amid surging demand for autonomous systems.
Opinion
A little-noticed U.S. bill, the William S. Knudsen Defense Remobilization Act, would map bottlenecks and turn wartime demand models into peacetime contracts. Backed by Marco Rubio, it aims to reboot U.S. production—and send clearer, steadier signals to Europe and NATO supply chains.
Poland
American MEROPS drone-defense systems have been deployed in Poland, marking a significant step in reinforcing NATO’s eastern defenses amid repeated Russian drone incursions from Belarus.
Germany
Germany has approved funding of nearly €1 billion to acquire 20 additional Airbus H145M military helicopters, expanding its fleet under a broader modernization plan amid growing security threats from Russia.
United States
The U.S. Army will buy at least one million drones in the next 2–3 years, reframing unmanned systems as expendable battlefield effects. The move aims to rebuild a domestic drone industrial base and to match lessons learned from Ukraine’s drone-intensive conflict.
United States
The U.S. adds $100 million to Poland’s missile program, expanding AIM-9X deliveries for F-35s amid rising Russian airspace violations — a clear signal of NATO’s reinforced eastern deterrence.
Poland
Poland’s Ministry of Defense is launching a nationwide voluntary defense training program for citizens of all ages — from students to retirees — beginning November 22.