EU Defense Night 2026

EU Defense Night is the European Union Delegation’s annual flagship convening in Washington, D.C., showcasing the EU’s expanding role in the defense domain. Now in its third edition, it brings together hundreds of national and state policymakers, defense and space industry leaders, investors and venture capitalists, policy experts, and media from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss opportunities in European defense and space production, as well as EU-U.S. defense and security cooperation.

The inaugural 2024 edition, held on the eve of the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, highlighted Europe’s ambition to scale up its defense capabilities, driven in part by Ukraine’s operational needs and combat experience. The 2025 edition, held shortly after the NATO Summit in The Hague, underscored the EU’s commitment to European security through an unprecedented $910 billion financial mobilization in the sector.

In 2026, as the EU is preparing a new European Security Strategy, the EU Delegation will partner with industry stakeholders, and the European Investment Bank Group to spotlight emerging defense initiatives enabled by the new EU instruments and EU Member State financial commitments. The event will highlight opportunities for business collaboration, explore cutting-edge technologies and lessons learned from Ukraine, and reaffirm the importance of EU-U.S. partnership. In the context of firsthand battlefield experience from Ukraine, high-level discussions will examine how startups and advanced technology ecosystems contribute commercially viable solutions to the defense industrial base, with a focus on artificial intelligence and drones, energy resilience, and critical minerals.

PROGRAM

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.
REGISTRATION & WELCOME REFRESHMENTS


4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
INVESTORS FORUM

Address by EIB Director General Jean-Christophe Laloux, with opening remarks by EIB Deputy Director General Markus Berndt
Why Look at Europe as an American Venture Capitalist? (with NATO Innovation Fund Partner Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Forgepoint Capital Founder Alberto Yepez, and Lockheed Martin Investment Director Jeffrey Cunningham, moderated by EIF Division Head Patric Gresko)
Why Consider American Investors? (with Multiverse Computing Defense Head Alberto Reguera, Belfort Labs CEO Laurens De Poorter, and Swarmer VP Brady Cline, moderated by EIB Defense and Security Head Hristo Stoykov)


5:30 - 6:00 p.m.
COCKTAIL INTERMISSION


6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
DEFENSE NIGHT

Keynote Address
Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defense and Space 
Jovita Neliupšienė, EU Ambassador to the U.S. (opening remarks)

Producing at Scale and Speed: EU-U.S. Industrial Cooperation  
Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, U.S. Department of War
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defense and Space, European Commission
Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Polish Secretary of State, National Defense Ministry
Howard Bromberg, Vice President for Strategy and Business Development, Lockheed Martin
Juan de la Cueva, Chief Business Officer, Navantia
Nick Schifrin, Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent, PBS News Hour (moderator)

Post-Ankara: Where is Transatlantic Security Heading?  
Alex Velez-Green, Chief of Staff and Senior Counselor to the Under Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of War

Defense Innovation: Commercial Solutions and Lessons from Ukraine 
Amb. Dr. Martin Schaefer, Political Director, German Federal Defense Ministry
Iryna Terekh, CEO, Fire Point
Kusti Salm, CEO, Frankenburg Technologies
Caitriona Perry, Chief Presenter, BBC (moderator)

The Evolving Role of AI for Defense and Its Impact on Modern Warfare  
General Tim Ray (Ret.), President & CEO, BENS 
Dr. Anshu Roy, Founder & CEO, Rhombus Power 
Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, CEO, DIGITALEUROPE 
Caitriona Perry, Chief Presenter, BBC (moderator)


8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
NETWORKING RECEPTION
featuring the EU Ambassadors' Book Collection for America250