NATO Enhances Multi-Domain Air Defense and Coordinates Response to Russian Hybrid Attacks

NATO is significantly advancing its shift from an Air Policing-focused framework to a robust multi-domain Air Defence, as demonstrated by a Flexible Deterrent Option (FDO) training activity over Romania on September 9, involving five Allied nations. This transition aims to address a wider range of air and missile threats. All 32 NATO member nations are now meeting the guideline of spending 2% of GDP on defense, with a new pledge to reach 3.5% by 2035, emphasizing rapid procurement of effective solutions. In coordination with the EU, NATO is also responding to a series of Russian hybrid attacks, including Germany's attribution of an August 4 drone sabotage at Leipzig airport to Russia and a foiled Russian operation targeting subsea fiber-optic cables in the Arctic.