National survival through collective security
Just as large volunteer collections to help the Defense Forces consist of hundreds of thousands of donations, our collective security of the future must consist of contributions from every citizen
In the tenth year of the war, it is time to realize: Russia is a constant existential threat to Ukraine. We need to build a security system for the coming decades today, taking into account our reality. Ukraine's new security architecture is a mosaic of many components: military, economic, legal, and civilian preparation for the challenges of the current war, as well as any possible future war.
Just as volunteer collections to help the Defense Forces consist of hundreds of thousands of donations, our collective security must be made up of contributions from every citizen.
The basis of collective security is to increase the readiness of society to respond to challenges. In the new reality, every Ukrainian should have two specialties – civilian and military – to be able to use weapons, provide medical care, and know what to do during shelling and occupation.
Our foundation started working on this back in July last year. We have created a tool for acquiring new knowledge and skills to feel more confident and understand how to act in the event of security threats from a crazy neighbor. The Civilian Preparedness Centers project is a ready-made training model with theoretical and practical courses. It has proven itself in almost 40 cities in 17 regions across Ukraine.
The fundamental courses include preparation for mobilization – the basics of shooting and grenade launching, first aid, military communications, piloting copters, and knowledge of fortifications. We also teach relevant skills in the face of enemy threats, such as mine safety or behavior under artillery fire. A separate area is psychological training on communicating with the military and veterans, and what to do when captured. In addition, we are actively working in the field of OSINT (open-source intelligence) and countering IPSO (information and psychological operations).
We must always be ready.
We must always be ready. This is not about militarizing society, but about the well-founded need for all Ukrainians to be prepared. You can be a realtor and know how to use a grenade launcher. You can work in IT and have first-aid skills simultaneously. The segment of ongoing training, preparing civilians for life in the country in the face of military risks, should become the foundation for all components of Ukraine's future security architecture.
Ukraine's military security is guaranteed only by NATO membership. Today, it is the only safeguard against military threats after this war. Ukraine has already had a sad experience when we received guarantees on paper that did not stand the test of reality, either in 2014 or 2022.
Our compliance with the standards of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has already reached a high enough level that we have the right to ask not "under what conditions," but "when." This movement is irreversible.
The level of integration of Ukraine, which is not a NATO member state, is now unprecedented – at the level of communication, weapons, and best practices that we now apply.
The Alliance should also become an opportunity for employment for our military. We have a million-strong army with a unique experience - an ideal tool for rapprochement and integration into NATO in the form of joint exercises and other formats.
The constant threat from a neighboring country requires rational use of resources. We should conduct a full audit of the defense industry based on a simple principle: We buy not what we have, but what the army really needs. In addition, defense reform can only occur with procurement reform and greater transparency.
The postwar Ukrainian economy should become as open as possible to global business and modern technologies. The desire of foreign investors to localize production in Ukraine or set up a joint venture is a signal to the government and local authorities to create the most favorable conditions for this. Does German Rheinmetall want to open a plant to produce and repair armored vehicles in Ukraine? Let's give them the opportunity. Turkish Baykar is opening a factory in Ukraine. We will help them and all those who will work to improve our country's defense capability and economic development. Foreign capital is an additional safeguard and a guarantee that the West will help us in the event of a new danger. This is the business of their citizens, for whom they are responsible.
For this, we need to take care of legal security. A level playing field for all creates a safe environment for business and investment, both foreign and Ukrainian. This includes reform of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary, which, fortunately, continues even during the war. Access to justice, decentralization, and the fight against monopolies should be key principles for further development.
We are paying a terrible price for our survival as a state, and we have no right to repeat previous mistakes.
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