On Monday, 9 November, the Coherent Resilience 2026 Northeast Tabletop Exercise (CORE 26-NE) will begin in Vilnius, Lithuania, bringing together more than 100 participants for a week of scenario-based exercises focused on strengthening regional energy security.
CORE 26-NE is designed to enhance interoperability and resilience among NATO Allies and Partner nations on the Alliance’s north-eastern flank, with a particular focus on Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Throughout the week, participants will examine the interdependencies between regional electricity and gas networks, identify vulnerabilities in energy supply chains, and explore ways to strengthen the protection and resilience of critical energy infrastructure. The exercise will provide a platform for exchanging expertise, assessing potential risks and exploring coordinated approaches to addressing challenges to regional energy security.
The exercise is jointly organised by the NATO ENSEC COE, the NATO Headquarters Cyber and Digital Transformation Division, and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
Building on more than a decade of CORE exercises
CORE 26-NE is part of the CORE series of tabletop exercises, launched in 2014, which examine the resilience of energy infrastructure and energy supply systems across different regions and operational contexts.
Over the years, the series has addressed a wide range of regional energy security challenges, spanning the Baltic States, Ukraine, Moldova, the Black Sea region and beyond. The last CORE 25-A addressed challenges related to hybrid threats to critical energy infrastructure in the Arctic region.
Building on the experience and outcomes of previous exercises, CORE 26-NE continues to support cooperation, strengthen regional preparedness and contribute to a more resilient energy environment across NATO’s north-eastern flank.