On September 8, 2025, the event “Building a Stronger NATO: Implementing the Decisions of the Hague Summit” took place at the Central Military Club in Sofia. The special guest was Ms. Radmila Šekerinska, Deputy Secretary General of NATO, who delivered a public lecture before a wide audience of diplomats, politicians, security experts, academia, and journalists.

The lecture was organized by the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria and the Union of Reserve Officers “Atlantic”, with the special support of Bronia.ai and Profuz Digital, who provided simultaneous AI-generated subtitles through their innovative product SubtitleNEXT.

The event was opened by Dr. Solomon Passy, President of the Atlantic Club, who recalled Bulgaria’s role in the process of joining NATO more than two decades ago. On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of North Macedonia, marked on the same date, Dr. Passy presented a bouquet to the official guest.

In her lecture, Ms. Šekerinska outlined the key outcomes of the Hague Summit and the Alliance’s priorities:

• Support for Ukraine – focusing on the country’s concrete defense needs and strengthening NATO’s deterrence capabilities;
• Defense investments and industrial capacity – including announced projects in Bulgaria, such as the construction of two Rheinmetall factories with an investment of over 1 billion dollars;
• Collective security and resilience – the need for higher defense spending (a target of 5% of GDP by 2035) and the development of new technologies, such as unmanned systems and air defense;
• Global challenges – Russia will remain a long-term threat to Europe’s security even after the war, while China requires a new approach in cyberspace and outer space.

In the following Q&A session, Ms. Šekerinska emphasized the fight against disinformation and the cognitive war waged against Bulgaria and other allies. She stressed the need to build information resilience, to create our own narratives, and to foster closer cooperation among member states in countering propaganda.

The event concluded with a special gesture – Dr. Solomon Passy presented Ms. Radmila Šekerinska with a unique plaque featuring a symbolic Trabant, recalling the historic connection between the Atlantic Club and NATO dating back to the early 1990s.