The president of NATO's Military Committee, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, warned in Madrid that the threat of large-scale conflict in Europe is real. He trusts that Spain will achieve the military capabilities assigned by the Alliance.
The president of NATO's Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, issued a maximum alert message during his official visit to Madrid in early 2026. The highest military official of the Atlantic Alliance warned that the threat of large-scale conflict in Europe is real, according to La Razón, and urged member countries to accelerate their defence preparations in light of the sustained challenge posed by Vladimir Putin's Russia.
During his meeting with the Spanish military leadership, Cavo Dragone addressed the deterrence demands required by the current geopolitical scenario. The admiral expressed his full confidence that Spain will achieve the military capabilities assigned by the international organisation. This commitment requires a sustained effort in defence investment and a constant adaptation of the armed forces.
The military chief acknowledged the strategic role of the Spanish Armed Forces, both in monitoring the southern flank and in air and ground policing deployments in Eastern Europe.
"The threat of war in Europe is real and it would be better if it were avoided"
The Italian admiral's message is framed within the pressure from the allied headquarters in Brussels for all partners to strictly adhere to the roadmap outlined in the Madrid and Vilnius summits. The Atlantic Alliance demands a substantial increase in the industrial production of armaments and greater logistical agility in troop deployments.
On the national level, the government maintains its commitment to raise the Defence budget to reach 2% of GDP before 2029. The department led by Margarita Robles has promoted modernisation programmes such as the renewal of the Air Force's combat fleets, the construction of new F-110 frigates for the Navy, and the acquisition of next-generation armoured vehicles.
Cavo Dragone positively assessed these advances, although he insisted that the European military machinery must operate with an unprecedented sense of urgency since the end of the Cold War.
For his part, the Chief of Defence Staff (JEMAD), Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón, reiterated Spain's absolute loyalty to Atlanticist principles during the working meetings on Tuesday. Both leaders agreed that cohesion and solidarity among allies constitute the main tool for containment against external threats.
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