On 2 September 2026, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, received the visit of Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), to the European Commission. Ahead of their meeting, they gave a statement to the press in which they discussed their response to Russia's attack targeting Leipzig, the continuation of military and financial support for Ukraine, and the strengthening of European defense and EU-NATO cooperation, supported by the SAFE investment plan and faster warning and interception systems.