EXCLUSIVE: Luxembourg Defence Minister Yuriko Backes on women in security, NATO’s future and why Europe must do more than spend

Yuriko Backes did not take a conventional route into defence.

Born in Kobe, Japan, and raised between Japan and Germany before studying in London and Bruges, Luxembourg’s first female Defence Minister built her career across diplomacy, European affairs and finance long before moving into defence in 2023, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine forces European governments to rethink deterrence, resilience and military preparedness.

Growing up between cultures, Backes says, continues to shape how she approaches diplomacy and security.

“Attending international schools throughout my school years and growing up in Japan has given me a unique perspective on different cultures and ways of life,” Backes says. “I am not only used to being in a multicultural environment, I embrace it.”

After graduating from the London School of Economics, SOAS University of London and the College of Europe, Backes started working for Luxembourg’s diplomatic service in 1994, later serving the European Commission before becoming Luxembourg’s first female marshal of the Grand-Ducal Court  and then Luxembourg’s first female  Finance Minister in 2022. At the end of 2023, she became Defence Minister. She and her husband have two sons, both now studying abroad.

Speaking to National Security News, Backes reflects on women in national security, Europe’s changing security landscape, NATO’s future and why defence cannot simply be reduced to military spending targets.

This year, National Security News recognises Backes in its Top 50 Women in National Security, an annual list celebrating women shaping intelligence, defence, diplomacy, cyber and international security worldwide.

Backes believes having more women in defence and security is about far more than symbolism, arguing that leadership should better reflect the societies those decisions affect.

“We need women not only in the armed forces,” she says. “We need women in decision-making roles around peace negotiations and within communities where we are trying to broker peace.”

“Different perspectives matter. Security and peace affect whole societies, so decision-making should reflect that.”

“Women are not small men,” Backes adds, and without wanting to generalise, she underlines that women and men have a different socialisation, often a different habitus and complementary way of thinking.

The barriers women face in defence, diplomacy and national security still exist, she says, although attitudes are beginning to shift.

 “There are still stereotypes that say girls are not suited to certain jobs. I believe that a profession has no gender. Women can do a job just as well as men.”

“But things are evolving. We are seeing more women stepping into leadership positions, and that matters because younger generations need role models.”

Backes’ own career path shapes how she views security.

Her years across diplomacy and finance, she says, reinforce how interconnected modern threats have become.

“Diplomacy and defence are not opposites,” Backes says. “They go hand in hand. Defence provides the foundation for security, diplomacy promotes stability. They are two pillars to reach one goal: peace.”

“Security today is not only military,” Backes says. “It is economic security, cyber security, energy resilience and protecting critical infrastructure. Everything is interconnected.”

“We cannot think about defence in isolation anymore. The challenges we face cross sectors and borders.”

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she says, reinforces the importance of deterrence, resilience and preparedness.

“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has reminded us that peace and security cannot be taken for granted,” Backes says.

For Backes, support for Ukraine is directly linked to Europe’s long-term security.

“The security of Ukraine is closely linked to the security of Europe,” she says. “What happens in Ukraine matters to all of us.

“We have learned that preparedness matters. We need stronger resilience, faster decision-making and closer cooperation.”

At the same time, she argues defence cannot simply be measured through spending targets alone.

“Defence spending matters, but it is not only about percentages,” Backes says. “It is about capabilities, readiness of the armed forces and resilience of society at large.

“We must invest smartly. It is about interoperability, readiness and ensuring we can contribute meaningfully to collective security.”

Luxembourg has reached the two per cent NATO defence investment target last year, thus doubling its defence investments since 2023. By 2029, defence spending will reach  approximately €1.665 billion, representing 2.3 per cent of gross national income.

As NATO prepares for an increasingly uncertain future, Backes is clear the alliance remains central to European security.

“NATO remains the cornerstone of our collective defence,” she says. “The transatlantic bond remains essential.”

But Europe, she argues, must also become stronger within the alliance.

“We need to strengthen the European pillar within NATO,” Backes says. “This is not a question of choosing between European and transatlantic defence . The two go hand in hand.”

Luxembourg may be a small country geographically, she says, but it can still play an important role in collective security.

Rather than focusing on conventional military scale, Luxembourg has increasingly invested in cyber security, secure communications, satellite technology and space capability.

Earlier this year, Luxembourg approved funding for GovSat-2, a secure military and government communications satellite designed to support both EU and NATO operations.

Backes believes Europe remains too reliant on American capabilities in some areas,.

“We need sufficient autonomy,” she says. “Europe must strengthen its own capabilities, including in space.

“We need to ensure Europe can launch satellites independently. Secure infrastructure is essential.”

Luxembourg, she says, intends to play its part.

“We are more than happy to make these capabilities available to our partners,” Backes says, pointing to Luxembourg’s expertise in satellite communications and observation technologies.

Technology is already reshaping modern defence, she argues.

“Artificial intelligence, cyber threats and space infrastructure are increasingly central to defence,” Backes says. “Technology is transforming security very quickly.

“Ukraine has shown how rapidly warfare evolves. Innovation cycles are becoming much shorter.”

For Backes, the future of defence is not simply about spending more.

“It is spending smarter, innovating faster and working more closely together,” she says.

For young women considering careers in defence or diplomacy, her advice is straightforward.

“Be ambitious,” Backes says. “Do not rule yourself out. These sectors need talent, expertise and new perspectives.”