Mark Rutte
Secretary General of NATO since 2024 and former Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2010–2024)
Photo: © European Union, 2026, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
- 4h ago
Zelenski attacks Trump's Russian diesel deal as SpaceX cuts Starlink for Ukrainian forces
Kyiv says the diesel deal gives Putin an easy win, while Starlink restrictions disrupt Ukrainian drone missions and Washington weighs a pause in intelligence sharing.
- 10h ago
NATO chief Rutte urges allies to do more for Ukraine's air defence as Russian strikes intensify
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the call at a press conference in Tallinn, Estonia, as Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine before winter. Overnight Russian strikes killed at least seven people and left 600,000 without electricity.
- 15h ago
Russian strikes leave 600,000 without power in Kyiv, testing Trump's energy truce
Two people were killed and 21 injured on the evening of 13 October in a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, followed by a larger overnight barrage across Ukraine that Zelensky said targeted energy facilities.
- yesterday
NATO starts annual Steadfast Noon nuclear drill with 17 allies, Germany sends Tornados to Italy
The exercise runs from 13 to 23 October and uses only training bombs without nuclear warheads. Russia's embassy in Belgium has rejected it, saying such drills do not reduce tensions.
- 2d ago
Drones hit two ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, one sinks, Radev says
The Malta-flagged Chelsea 3, Ukrainian-owned, was hit by three drones about 18 nautical miles off Bulgaria's coast, and a second vessel sank in the same area, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Tuesday, 13 October. All 15 crew of the Chelsea 3 were rescued.
- 6d ago
NATO to start annual nuclear exercise Steadfast Noon in Italy amid Russia tensions
Seventeen member states will take part in the drill in Italy until 23 October, and NATO says it is routine and aimed at no country. It follows a tense exchange of letters with Moscow over August manoeuvres near Kaliningrad.
- Oct 6
Russia issues nuclear threats and strikes Ukrainian cities as NATO maintains defensive stance
The Kremlin demanded foreign diplomats leave Kyiv and warned NATO over Baltic military maneuvers, while stepping up bombardments of Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
- Oct 5
NATO commander to present Theory of Victory defense strategy in Poland
General Alexus Grynkewich will present a strategic concept called Theory of Victory on 12 October in Poland, as NATO leadership dismisses Russian warnings over Kaliningrad.
- Oct 1
NATO Officials Rule Out Immediate Russian Invasion but Warn of Escalating Hybrid Warfare
Military leaders and NATO officials in Brussels stated that Russian conventional forces cannot launch an invasion against member states, even as Moscow intensifies sub-threshold hybrid operations across Europe.
- Oct 1
NATO receives Westphalian Peace Prize in Münster as Friedrich Merz warns of Russian aggression
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented the 2026 International Peace of Westphalia Prize to NATO in Münster, using his speech to defend defense spending targets and urge unified European support for Ukraine.
- Sep 30
Putin warns NATO over Kaliningrad and rejects long-range strike truce with Ukraine
At the Valdai Discussion Club in Istra, Vladimir Putin threatened a full military response if Kaliningrad is attacked, cited a 1% GDP loss from refinery strikes, and refused a moratorium on deep strikes.
- Sep 25
Spanish F-18 fighters scramble 19 times in Romania as Russian drone incursions persist
Spain's Paznic air detachment at Mihail Kogalniceanu air base has logged 19 quick-reaction alerts since August 1, 2026, launching F-18 fighters to monitor Russian drones along Romania's border with Ukraine.
- Sep 23
Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russian Mi-8 helicopter breaches airspace near Braniewo
The Polish military scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday after a Russian Mi-8 helicopter entered Polish airspace north of Braniewo for 42 seconds from the Kaliningrad exclave, entering to a depth of 300 metres.
- Sep 21
European intelligence chiefs warn Russia could test NATO defences within months
Intelligence directors from the Czech Republic, Latvia and Sweden reported that Moscow is preparing expanded sabotage campaigns and potential border incursions to challenge NATO mutual defense commitments.
- Sep 9
Allies pledge air defense and drone packages at Ramstein meeting as EU unlocks 3.2 billion euros
Meeting online in the Ramstein format, partner nations coordinated fresh military packages including German and Norwegian Patriot missiles, Polish air defense systems, and 300 million dollars from the Netherlands for drone defenses.
- Sep 5
Giorgia Meloni sets Italian post-war longevity record with 1,413 days in power
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni surpassed Silvio Berlusconi to lead the longest continuous administration in post-war Italy, marking 1,413 days in office on Friday.
- Aug 29
Tusk warns of Russian escalation and 600,000-troop mobilization after NATO briefing
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the next six months will be decisive following talks with NATO's Mark Rutte, citing intelligence that Russia plans to mobilize 600,000 troops.
- Aug 24
Klaas Dijkhoff testifies on parliament's role during pandemic at Dutch inquiry
Former VVD leader Klaas Dijkhoff testified at the Dutch COVID-19 inquiry on 24 August 2026, stating parliament was sidelined by the cabinet and blocked from meeting digitally.
- Aug 22
Two US refueling aircraft depart Bulgarian air base following regional Iranian threats
Two US Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft have departed Bezmer Air Base in Bulgaria, roughly one month after their parliament-approved deployment drew warnings of retaliation from Tehran.
- Jul 15
Macron's final Bastille Day parade showcases European rearmament with 6,800 troops and Ukrainian soldiers on the Champs-Élysées
President Emmanuel Macron presided over his tenth and final 14 July military parade on Tuesday, transforming the Champs-Élysées into a display of European military cohesion with 6,800 soldiers, 500 foreign troops from 35 nations, and 25 Ukrainian service members marching alongside French forces.
