NATO Military Committee to visit Ukraine for first time in eight years

In October 2026, the NATO Military Committee, the highest military body of the North Atlantic Alliance, will visit Ukraine. Such a visit will take place for the first time in the last eight years.

This was announced on August 21 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatiy, following the results of the first telephone conversation with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.

According to Drapatiy, during the conversation, the parties discussed the current situation on the front and the key needs of the Ukrainian army.

Among the priority areas are strengthening air defense, developing long-range capabilities, improving infantry tactics and using robotic systems.

The Commander-in-Chief paid special attention to air defense, calling its strengthening one of the main priorities for the Ukrainian army.

Drapatiy also emphasized that Ukraine’s cooperation with NATO has long been no longer one-sided. The Armed Forces of Ukraine not only receive military assistance from partners, but also share the unique experience of modern full-scale warfare.

“Ukraine not only receives support. We are transferring combat experience that no one has today, and it works for the security of the entire Alliance,” the Commander-in-Chief noted.

Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone has already visited Ukraine three times, so, according to Drapaty, he understands the situation and the challenges faced by the Ukrainian military.

Why the NATO Military Committee visit is important

The NATO Military Committee is the highest military body of the Alliance. It includes the chiefs of defense of NATO member states or their permanent military representatives.

The Committee provides recommendations to the North Atlantic Council on military policy and defense issues, and also coordinates the military component of NATO activities.

The visit, expected in October, will be the first visit of the NATO Military Committee to Ukraine in eight years and will take place against the backdrop of deepening practical military cooperation between Kyiv and the Alliance.

For Ukraine, the meeting will also be an opportunity to directly present to the military leadership of NATO countries the current needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the experience of conducting combat operations, which is increasingly being taken into account during the transformation of the Alliance’s own defense approaches.