Poland will host the first joint military exercises of the Coalition of the Willing in September 2026, deploying 1,500 British and French troops to test logistics and troop transport capabilities. The drills, announced by Polish PM Donald Tusk and Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Bejda, aim to prepare security guarantees for Ukraine after a ceasefire. The exercises mark the first physical test of the coalition's credibility, as Poland handles 95% of allied military aid to Ukraine. The announcement came as Bulgaria officially withdrew from the coalition, with PM Radev opposing continued military aid to Ukraine.

Background: The EU and UK previously imposed coordinated sanctions on Russian intelligence officers and hackers for a cyberespionage campaign targeting European governments and critical infrastructure. Today, the EU and UK announced a new round of coordinated sanctions targeting nine Russian nationals and four entities, including the pro-Russian hacker group Z-Pentest, its leader Yuliya Pankratova, and chief hacker Denis Degtyarenko, for cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such as a Danish water utility in December 2024. Also sanctioned are Media Land LLC, its owner Alexander Volosovik, and ML.Cloud for ransomware and phishing attacks. Additional designations include Impuls LLC, its owner Evgeniy Bashev, and individuals Maksim Voronin, Maksim Gordienko, and Vitaly Kovalov for developing or distributing malware like LummaC2, Trickbot, and Conti. Separately, the EU sanctioned Ivan Kasyanenko, deputy commander of Russian military intelligence's Department 29155, for overseeing covert operations including the 2018 Skripal poisoning and Wagner mercenary deployments in Africa. The measures were adopted in coordination with the UK, marking the first simultaneous sanctions under their respective cyber regimes.

More than 60 air and space chiefs from over 50 countries gathered in London for the 2026 Global Air and Space Chiefs' Conference, hosted by RAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth. The two-day event, themed around agility, integration, and readiness, featured sessions on nuclear deterrence, space warfare, integrated air and missile defense, and lessons from current conflicts. Smyth stressed the importance of building trust and seamless integration among allies, stating that no single nation can secure itself alone. The conference follows a NATO summit in Turkey where President Trump urged allies to increase defense spending, and comes as the UK pursues new defense investments in autonomous systems and space capabilities.