The French Military Academy ACADEM has announced the third edition of the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum PDSF 2026, which will take place in Paris from 24 to 26 March 2026. The Kingdom of Denmark will attend as guest of honour, underlining the growing strategic ties between France, the Nordic region and European partners.
Now firmly established as a major international defence and security event, PDSF 2026 is positioned as a leading forum for high level strategic debate. It will be held against the backdrop of a significantly altered security environment, marked by the return of high intensity conflict to Europe and accelerating global geopolitical competition. A substantial proportion of the forum will be accessible via video conference, reflecting its international reach.
The event will be opened by Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish Minister of Defence, alongside Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of the Armed Forces. Their participation sets the tone for a forum focused on concrete policy challenges rather than abstract theory.
Three Theme Pillars
After two previous editions centred on the theme Europe at a crossroads, PDSF 2026 adopts a new overarching framework built around three pillars: sovereignty, alliances and partnerships. According to ACADEM, this shift reflects the need to address defence and security challenges in a more integrated manner, encompassing industrial autonomy, European resilience and evolving models of cooperation.
Over three days, senior civilian and military figures, policymakers, academics and industry experts will contribute through roundtables, conferences, masterclasses and strategic gaming exercises. The programme is structured around three core strands.
The first, competition and conflict, examines the current strategic environment, including hybrid warfare, cyber operations, information confrontation and space as a contested domain. The second strand focuses on alliances and organisations, assessing the evolution of NATO, the EU and ad hoc coalitions, as well as internal tensions and governance challenges. The third addresses sovereignty and innovation, linking national resilience to technological, industrial and regulatory capability, with particular emphasis on rebuilding the European defence industrial base.
Strategic Insights
Confirmed speakers include Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, European Commission Vice President and High Representative Kaja Kallas, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, and Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are also listed among participants.
Further details and registration information are available at www.parisdefencestrategyforum.com
