The Elements of an Alliance? NATO’s critical minerals imperative – EIES and SAFE host discussion on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference
Munich, 14 February 2026 – On Friday, 13 February, SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy and the European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES) hosted a high-level dinner on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, ‘The Elements of an Alliance? NATO’s critical minerals imperative.’ The dinner brought together representatives from NATO and Allied governments, and leaders from the defence and minerals sectors to assess how the Alliance can deliver the greatest value in coordinating and implementing new investments in critical minerals supply chains and best align with efforts by the US, EU, G7, Allied nations, and Asian partners.
NATO members’ 2025 commitment to spend 1.5% of GDP on protecting critical infrastructure, securing supply chains, and strengthening the defence industrial base marks a fundamental shift in how the Alliance defines security. As China tightens its grip on rare earths and after Russia's invasion of Ukraine underscored the cost of strategic dependencies, NATO has recognised the need for resilient critical minerals supply chains that underpin modern military capability, from radios to drones and combat aircraft.
Abigail Hunter, Executive Director of SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, said, “The ‘Elements of an Alliance’ aren’t just political. They’re literal. NATO’s 1.5% commitment is a real opportunity, but only if Allies define what counts and prioritize investments that strengthen defense-relevant supply chains on the timelines that matter. Tonight is about mapping where NATO’s 1.5% can achieve non-linear improvements in capacity, resilience, and readiness. We’re grateful to MSC for hosting this dinner and look forward to continuing transatlantic progress.”
Albéric Mongrenier, Executive Director, EIES, added, "The real test will be execution: translating political ambition into production and refining capacity, and strategic stockpiles that can withstand geopolitical shocks. The stakes are too high, and the vulnerabilities too acute, for anything less than disciplined implementation."
No single nation will break China's dominance, so coordination is key. NATO's 1.5% commitment arrives amid a rockslide of national, bilateral, and multilateral initiatives to rebuild CRM supply chains. Success will depend on coordination. Without coherent alignment among Allies and partners, NATO, the EU, and the G7, these efforts risk fragmentation, duplication, and missed opportunities to build long-term capacity, resilience, and deterrence.
Investments need to be targeted and purposeful. The 1.5% pledge offers a historic opportunity, but only if resources are deployed towards credible security priorities that maintain political and popular support. Success will depend on clear definitions of what qualifies as defence-related spending and on rigorous criteria for project selection and outputs. The initiative must focus on critical minerals bottlenecks that directly enhance the Alliance's capacity, resilience, and deterrence.
Speed matters: China and Russia are not waiting. Early, targeted investments in critical bottlenecks (processing capacity, refining infrastructure, and stockpiling) can deliver disproportionate security dividends before the full spending ramp materialises. Frontloading high-impact projects will be essential to closing the vulnerability gap and maintaining deterrence.
About EIES
The European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES) advocates for secure pan-European and national energy policies, dedicated to fostering collaboration between government and industry leaders. EIES seeks to address critical energy challenges and champion comprehensive solutions for the benefit of Europe's energy security, transition, and industrial competitiveness. EIES works with the Energy Security Leadership Council-Europe (ESLC-Europe), composed of retired and active military, political and business figures, to achieve these goals.
About SAFE
SAFE is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization committed to transportation, energy, and supply chain policies that advance the economic and national security of the United States, its partners, and allies. SAFE has convened business and former military leaders since 2004 to support secure, resilient, and responsible energy solutions. Learn more at secureenergy.org.
Media Contacts:
SAFE: Leslie Hayward, lhayward@secureenergy.org
EIES: Tim Kirstein, tkirstein@secureenergy.org