Four Years of Resilience: Why Ukraine’s Experience is Crucial for Europe’s Defence
Tetiana Ostra, co-founder of the Boryviter Center of Excellence, participated in an online panel discussion hosted by the European Policy Centre (EPC) to mark the fourth anniversary of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Four years into the full-scale invasion, Ukraine is fundamentally transforming the paradigm of modern warfare. Despite systematic attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian targets, our state, economy, and defence sector remain functional and resilient. This is a fact recognised not only within Ukraine but also by our strategic partners worldwide.
To ensure that international support remains steadfast, we must continuously highlight the vital importance of investing in defence capabilities and actively engage in global political dialogue. In this spirit, Tetiana Ostra joined the European Policy Centre’s discussion via video link to reflect on the challenges and lessons of these four years.
The context of the meeting was complex: it coincided with news that the latest sanctions package and macro-financial assistance for Ukraine had encountered political hurdles within the EU. Nevertheless, European leaders continue to seek pathways for stable support, aiming to resolve the aid issues by April 2026.
The discussion featured distinguished EU representatives, diplomats, and international experts:
- Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the EU
- Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Republic of Cyprus
- Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Republic of Ireland
- Sandra Kalniete, Member of the European Parliament
- Baiba Tavaresa, Head of Ukraine Division, European External Action Service (EEAS)
- Olena Prokopenko, Senior Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States
- Damian Murphy, Senior Vice President for National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress
The core themes of the discussion included maintaining pressure on russia, strengthening Ukraine’s defence capacity, and preventing a freeze in the conflict. During her address, Tetiana Ostra emphasised the critical gap in the pace of adaptation:
"Modern warfare moves faster than European defence systems are designed to adapt. Ukraine’s technological agility and combat-tested capabilities are vital to strengthening Europe’s own defence industrial base."
We are grateful to our European partners for their solidarity and will continue our mission of training those who defend our common future.