Grayling: CEE region defense overview

Prompted by renewed U.S. pressure and escalating global security threats, the summit emphasized the urgent need to scale up defence production, foster innovation, and deepen transatlantic defence industrial cooperation. These efforts aim to deliver a strategic leap forward in NATO’s collective defence capabilities.
 
The summit also reaffirmed NATO’s steadfast support for Ukraine, calling for continued military and humanitarian assistance. For the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, the summit’s outcomes are particularly significant.
 
In parallel, the EU’s new SAFE Regulation introduces a €150 billion loan instrument to boost the continent’s defence industrial base. It prioritises joint procurement projects between Member States, encouraging interoperability, economies of scale, and strategic cooperation — especially in regions like Central and Eastern Europe.
 
In this regard, Grayling latest report delves into how these developments impact the CEE region, which is emerging as a key pillar of NATO’s forward defence posture. 

The report provides a strategic overview of defence developments in the CEE region in the context of the 2025 NATO Summit and the broader geopolitical environment, particularly the war in Ukraine. 

Key themes and content in focus: 
-    Defence Spending Trends
-    Modernisation and Procurement Focus
-    Defence Industrial Base
-    Regional Cooperation and Strategic Integration

The full report is available here.