Business Insider: NATO to revise military doctrine after lessons learned from war in Ukraine

In a recent article, Business Insider describes that NATO plans to radically overhaul its military doctrine, acknowledging the vulnerability of its current strategy in the face of Russia’s superiority. 

Former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi has said that NATO's current approach to warfare is increasingly disconnected from the rapidly evolving realities on the battlefield. 

Now serving as Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Zaluzhnyi issued a stark warning to Western allies about the shifting dynamics of modern warfare, pointing to what he described as the breakdown of the rules-based world order.

Speaking at the London Defence Conference at King’s College London, Zaluzhnyi emphasised that the transition isn’t simply about updating defence industries or "some rearmament." Instead, he called for a fundamental policy change.

"You need a new state policy," Zaluzhnyi stated. This new approach, he explained, requires a comprehensive overhaul of military tactics, organisational structures, doctrines, training methods, and budgeting.

Zaluzhnyi stressed, "All this requires not only additional resources, but also, most importantly, additional time." The war in Ukraine has increasingly been viewed by Western countries as a testing ground for modern warfare, offering valuable lessons in military strategy and technology.

Experts have pointed out that Russia’s performance in the conflict could challenge NATO’s air superiority in future engagements. Additionally, NATO and other Western defence officials have noted that, in addition to large-scale, expensive systems, the alliance must increasingly rely on inexpensive, expendable weapons like drones. 

However, Zaluzhnyi warned that these lessons are not being adopted fast enough in the West. While drones have played a transformative role in Ukraine's defence strategy, he clarified that he wasn’t referring merely to "drones taking over the battlefield."

The Ukrainian ambassador further explained that even if NATO were to phase out tanks in favour of more high-tech weapons, it would take roughly five years for the alliance to catch up with Ukraine’s capabilities. 

"But technology will move on during this time. And so will the enemies," he cautioned.

Zaluzhnyi likened the necessary changes to the historic advancements of nuclear energy or space exploration, calling for a complete reinvention of the security framework in Europe. 

"We need to build a completely new security architecture for Europe," he said.

He further underscored Ukraine's importance to the region, stating that Europe requires Ukraine as a shield, particularly given its position as the largest army on the continent and the only one capable of modern, high-tech warfare. 

"While some nations may have technological advantages in certain areas," he asserted, "none of them will be able to secure their own independence in the full range of modern defence technologies."

Zaluzhnyi also addressed broader challenges to global security, pointing out "destructive trends" that have weakened the power of NATO's Article 5, which commits members to mutual defence. 

The ambassador’s comments come as the UK prepares for a major defence policy overhaul. The UK government has pledged to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP, contingent on economic conditions.

By Naila Huseynova