Citi joins NATO Initiative to Mobilize Private Capital for Defence Production
ANKARA – Citi has signed up to support NATO’s new Call to Action, joining the alliance-backed initiative to mobilize private capital for defence production, industrial resilience, and military technology across NATO economies.
The announcement comes as NATO leaders gather in Ankara, facing the dual challenge of increasing defence spending and ensuring the industrial base can rapidly convert budget commitments into military capability.
The initiative calls on banks, investors, and other capital providers to increase financing for companies developing and manufacturing the technologies essential for Allied deterrence and defence.
“A strong and resilient Europe is in all our interests. Citi is proud to support NATO’s Call to Action and help mobilize the capital and financial expertise needed to strengthen the Alliance’s security for the long term.” said Nacho Gutiérrez Orrantia, Citi Europe CEO.
“The argument behind the NATO initiative is simple, higher defence budgets matter only if industry can deliver. We know that that capital formation will be essential to turning allied rearmament into real capability,” said Stephanie von Friedeburg, Global Head of Public Sector Group, Citi.
Citi works with sovereign clients, ministries of defence and NATO-aligned governments on procurement, financing, payment and liquidity flows, while enabling defence companies to unlock the capital needed to scale production, strengthen resilience, and drive innovation.
Citi is the only global bank with a continued presence in Ukraine and has supported the Ukrainian government, public-sector institutions and the emerging defence ecosystem since Russia’s invasion.
The bank has also developed a transparent payment mechanism to facilitate the delivery of defence equipment to Ukraine, with controlled disbursements and governance around donor-funded procurement. Citi sees the structure as scalable and potentially applicable to wider Ukraine reconstruction.
“The challenge for governments is turning defence priorities into executable programmes,” said Georgi Yordanov, Citi’s lead on Defence for Public Sector in Europe. “This is a strategic effort to bridge the gap between national security needs and private sector finance. This requires financing, payment infrastructure and risk-management tools that can support procurement at scale and help connect sovereign demand with industrial capacity.”
About Citi
Citi is a preeminent banking partner for institutions with cross-border needs, a global leader in wealth management and a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.
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Media Contacts Nordics:
Anneli Sundstrom, Head of Communications & Public Affairs Nordics, anneli.sundstrom@citi.com