Innovation, adaptation and the future force: translating Ukraine’s lessons for NATO

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Peace, Security & Defence

12Oct2026

starts 16:00

ends 17:30

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In response to developments observed in Ukraine and the Middle East, armed forces across the transatlantic community are rearming and institutionalising operational lessons at an unprecedented pace, seeking to adapt to the unmanned and technology-driven realities of modern warfare.

Alongside enhancing traditional military capabilities, the integration of drones, counter-drone systems and AI-enabled applications has brought speed of adaptation to the forefront of operational advantage, altering military decision cycles from strategic planning to tactical execution. Armed forces must therefore become more responsive and agile, strengthening research, development and innovation while addressing the operational and ethical challenges posed by increasingly autonomous military technologies.

Drawing on lessons from Ukraine’s operational and innovation ecosystems and the ability to turn experience into adaptation, NATO allies have rapidly begun to establish innovation cycles, frame new public-private partnership models and increased efforts to boost interoperability, procurement agility, end-user readiness and resilient defence-industrial cooperation. Important questions remain, however, about which lessons from Ukraine are genuinely transferable to NATO and EU frameworks, and where the real institutional barriers and adaptation gaps preventing transatlantic armed forces from matching the pace of modern digital warfare persist.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock| Es Sarawuth

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The Boryviter Centre of Excellence is a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation connecting front-line operational experience with European defence capability development. Its team has trained more than 37,000 Ukrainian service members, with expertise spanning unmanned systems, counter-UAS, electromagnetic spectrum operations, artificial intelligence and command and leadership. The Centre also supports armed forces and security organisations through practitioner-led training, system integration and technology validation, translating Ukrainian battlefield experience into transferable expertise for European partners.

Oksana Ferchuk is Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation. She leads the Ministry’s work on digital government, digital infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity and technology-driven economic development. Ferchuk focuses on strengthening Ukraine’s digital resilience, advancing the country’s digital state and AI capabilities, supporting the defence technology ecosystem and expanding international technology partnerships. She previously worked in the Ministry of Defence and the telecommunications sector, gaining her experience at the intersection of technology, government, and national security.

Nikos Loutas is NATO’s Director of Innovation. He leads policy development and initiatives that aim to identify, test, finance and rapidly adopt new technologies by connecting Allies, industry, start-ups, academia and financial institutions that maintain the alliance’s technological edge. He previously held roles at the European Commission and in the technology sector, with a focus on data, AI and digital technologies.

Sven Weizenegger leads the CIHBw, the German armed forces’ digital innovation unit. He acts both as a transformation leader and bridge between the civilian and military worlds, pursuing a clear goal: to equip the Bundeswehr for its national and collective defence mission through digital excellence and technological sovereignty. He leads a diverse team that drives innovation across the Bundeswehr. Weizenegger carries expertise from the private sector and startups. He was formerly Deutsche Telekom’s first official hacker and part of its executive leadership team.

Dharmendra Kanani is Director of Policy & Programmes and Chief Spokesperson at Friends of Europe. Prior to joining Friends of Europe, Dharmendra was director of policy at the European Foundation Centre (EFC). He was the England director at the Big Lottery Fund, the largest independent funder in the UK and fourth largest in the world. Dharmendra has held senior positions in the public and voluntary sectors and advisor to numerous ministerial policy initiatives across the UK.

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