The National Security Council met on 3 November 2026, chaired by the Federal Chancellor. According to government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius the council discussed current NATOdefence planning and Germany's contribution to overall defence. The agenda also included expanding the German Armed ForcesBundeswehr's material capabilities, space security issues and the implications of advanced artificial intelligence for the state and armed forces.
According to the federal government, the council stressed the need to continue expanding uncrewed systems across all domains while also strengthening drone defence and the air defence In discussing the military use of AI systems, the council emphasised responsible application. The National Security Council approved the report by the federal government's AI task force which was presented at the Digital Summit on 2 and 3 November 2026.
Another focus was the changing security situation in space. The council reviewed progress on the Space Security Strategy and decided to strengthen the national space security architecture through additional research and development. The federal government said this was a response to growing risks to satellite infrastructure, including dual-use technologies and potential military escalation risks in near-Earth space and beyond. The statement did not name any specific projects.
In addition, the National Security Council continued to strengthen the Federal Government’s capacity to respond to crises. It agreed to review the legal framework governing intelligence activities. Rules on secondary employment by civil servants and soldiers after leaving service are also to be reviewed. The aim is to provide legal clarity and avoid conflicts of interest. The results of these reviews are still pending.
Finally, the committee discussed the violent disturbances in several German cities over the past weekend and thanked the personnel deployed for their work. The government statement set out no further operational conclusions on this point.
The National Security Council is a Cabinet committee of the Federal Government. It coordinates strategic recommendations across government departments on foreign, security and defence policy matters. The committee’s decisions take effect through the departments involved; the Bundestag remains responsible for legislative changes. The information presented here is based on the government spokesperson’s statement of 3 November 2026.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).