Belgian authorities have detained two NATO officials as part of an investigation into corruption schemes in arms procurement contracts. According to prosecutors, the suspects leaked confidential information to defense companies and may have been involved in money laundering.
Searches were conducted in the municipality of Bredene (West Flanders), and one of the individuals has been issued an arrest warrant. NATO confirmed that arrests were also made in other countries. Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers in Turkey, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the alliance is cooperating with law enforcement and intends to thoroughly investigate the incident.
“NATO does not tolerate violations of the rule of law,” Rutte emphasized. The investigation was initiated by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency, which handles the alliance’s multi-billion-euro weapons and ammunition purchases.
The extent of the damage and which companies may have benefited from the leaked information remains unclear. Belgian authorities are conducting the investigation in collaboration with Luxembourg, Spain, and the Netherlands, with coordination by Eurojust. Possible charges include participation in a criminal organization, corruption, and money laundering.
Amid the scandal, NATO continues its large-scale arms purchases. Recently, the alliance signed contracts for artillery shells (€1.1 billion) and Patriot air defense missiles ($5.5 billion).
