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Innovation Initiatives, Further Support for Ukraine Key Takeaways from NATO’s Foreign Ministers Meeting

April 7, 2022

Innovation Initiatives, Further Support for Ukraine Key Takeaways from NATO’s Foreign Ministers Meeting

NATO Foreign Ministers agreed to sustain and further strengthen support for Ukraine, and launched a ground-breaking initiative to sharpen the Alliance’s technological edge during the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels, April 6-7, 2022.

“Allies have been doing a lot, and are determined to do more, now, and for the medium and longer term to help the brave Ukrainians defend their homes and their country, and push back the invading forces,” said Mr Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.

Ministers agreed to step up practical support to other partners at threat of Russian aggression, to help strengthen their resilience. NATO will increase its cooperation with Asia-Pacific partners in areas like cyber, new technologies, disinformation, maritime security, climate change, and resilience, “because global challenges demand global solutions,” Mr Stoltenberg added.

NATO’s next Strategic Concept will take account of NATO’s future relations with Russia, and China’s growing influence on Allied security, Ministers acknowledged.

Allied foreign ministers also approved the Charter of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic – or DIANA. “Working with the private sector and academia, Allies will ensure that we can harness the best of new technology for transatlantic security,” said the NATO Secretary General.

DIANA will bring defence personnel together with the Alliance’s best and brightest start-ups, scientific researchers, and technology companies to solve critical defence and security challenges. Innovators participating in DIANA’s programs will receive access to its network of dozens of accelerator sites and test centres across more than 20 Allies. DIANA will concentrate on deep technologies – those emerging and disruptive technologies that NATO has identified as priorities including: artificial intelligence, big-data processing, quantum-enabled technologies, autonomy, biotechnology, novel materials and space.

Allies have also agreed to a framework for a multinational NATO Innovation Fund. This is the world’s first multi-sovereign venture capital fund. It will invest 1 billion euros in early-stage start-ups and other deep tech funds aligned with its strategic objectives.