American reticence and Russian aggression have created a sense of urgency for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, where leaders plan to redouble efforts toward digital transformation and multi-domain operations. That’s according to French Gen. Philippe Lavigne, a former chief of staff of the French Air and Space Force and a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander for transformation. Defense One sat down with Lavigne as part of a series of podcasts ahead of the 2025 Globsec Forum , taking place in Prague from June 12 to 14.

Here are a few highlights from that discussion.

The new NATO “is stronger than the old one.”

Lavigne said that’s due in part to the addition of Sweden in 2023 and Finland in 2024, which are contributing to a more coordinated strategy to defend the Baltic Sea. “I

See Full Page