Sep 29, 2026
Danish intelligence services warned that Russia is likely to intensify hybrid warfare including sabotage, cyberattacks and drone incidents against NATO countries in coming months, though they assessed no imminent risk of direct military attack on the alliance.
A plane carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was nearly hit by a drone while taking off from Moldova en route to Oslo for King Harald V's funeral, according to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Zelenskyy's office later disputed the characterization of the danger.
Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on Tuesday, saying they had acted in ways incompatible with their diplomatic status. Russia responded by closing the German Consulate General in St. Petersburg and vowed a 'painful' response to Hungary's actions.
Russia ordered the closure of German diplomatic offices in a tit-for-tat move after Germany accused Moscow of a hybrid attack involving a drone incident at Leipzig Airport and closed Russian consular facilities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Germany of moving toward direct confrontation with Russia.
Russia announced it will shut down branches of Germany's Goethe-Institut cultural centers in response to Germany's closure of the Russian House in Berlin and a Russian consulate in Bonn. The escalating tensions come after Berlin blamed Moscow for an airport drone plot, part of broader Western accusations of Russian sabotage campaigns.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe made a surprise visit to Moscow this week to warn Russian officials against escalating tensions with NATO members, particularly the Baltic states, though he did not meet with President Putin.
President Donald Trump is attending the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week to enforce defense spending pledges secured last year, while also meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push for an end to the Ukraine war. Trump has criticized the alliance as 'one-sided' and suggested the U.S. relationship with NATO is 'not reciprocal,' even as he shifts focus from financial contributions to demanding loyalty from allies.
The United States has reportedly warned Poland about a potential Russian military provocation, prompting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to declare the country is preparing for various scenarios during what he called 'critical months' ahead. NATO officials have indicated potential response plans targeting Russian military sites.
Russia conducted an 18-month drone surveillance campaign targeting nuclear facilities in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, while simultaneously stepping up jet-powered drone attacks against Ukraine. The escalation comes as Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have created fuel shortages across Russia.
Poland has placed an order for three Swedish submarines as part of its naval modernization efforts. The NATO member is bolstering its defense capabilities in response to Russian aggression at its borders.
A Russian frigate fired warning shots near a UK-registered yacht sailed by a retired British couple in the English Channel on Tuesday, prompting condemnation from Prime Minister Keir Starmer who called the incident 'deeply concerning and reckless' while speaking at the G7 summit.
French Rafale fighter jets shot down a drone that entered NATO member Latvia's airspace from Russia on Monday, marking the first such interception by NATO forces. The incident highlights growing security concerns along Europe's eastern border.
The United States announced plans to pull significant military assets from NATO, including reducing fighter jets by a third, along with destroyers and submarines. No clear timeline was provided for the withdrawal as the US seeks to reduce its commitments to the alliance.
Russia's parliament has passed legislation that would allow President Putin to authorize military operations in foreign countries, raising concerns among NATO allies about potential testing of the alliance's commitment to collective defense.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated Poland could host US troops that President Trump ordered withdrawn from Germany, vowing to personally lobby Trump. The move breaks with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's warning against 'poaching' American forces.
Poland's defense minister urged NATO countries to reach the alliance's 5% GDP defense spending target by 2030, five years ahead of the previous 2035 timeline, amid growing concerns about European security and US troop withdrawals.
Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced plans to significantly expand the military by adding 75,000 soldiers in response to the US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. The move represents a major shift in German defense policy amid NATO tensions.