The war in Ukraine continues due to the weakness of the Western world and its security system. A system still built on the doctrine of World War II, supplemented by expensive high-precision weapons. The West needs to step out of its comfort zone into the reality of the war of 2026 and rid itself of the illusion that outdated guarantees and doctrines can actually protect it and its children.
Therefore, I greatly appreciate the opportunities to directly communicate with young officers who will define the national security of their countries in the near future. I had the opportunity to speak at the Joint Command and Staff College of the UK Defence Academy. These are officers from various countries preparing for higher command positions. It is their decisions that will soon determine Europe’s security.
It is especially pleasing that among the attendees are Ukrainian officers with real combat experience.
The main message I want to convey to young military personnel is that it’s not enough just to purchase new weapons. Even changing tactics to accommodate drones is not sufficient. The West needs a new doctrine to protect itself. A doctrine is the “Bible of war” for us military personnel, which unites all the components of armed forces: weapons, tactics, structure, training, and financing into a single system. It will enable the assessment of the impact of new technologies, adapt to changes, and plan joint actions.
An up-to-date doctrine is the safety of your children and the safety of your state. No commitments will save you. Therefore, young officers need to learn quickly. The West still has complex and expensive technologies that will allow it to build a new security system. But the main thing is to step out of the comfort zone. Only together can we win this war for the future of our children.
Photo: Valerii Zaluzhnyi/Telegram
