The central problem is not simply military capability. It is strategic culture.
Nato was created at the height of the Cold War, when its overriding purpose was to deter the Soviet Union while preventing direct confrontation between nuclear powers. Avoiding escalation became the organising principle of the alliance.
That mindset remains deeply embedded today.
The alliance remains indispensable. But institutions designed for one era cannot assume they are automatically fit for another.
The nature of warfare has changed dramatically. Drone technology, precision strikes, cyber warfare and the rapid pace of technological innovation demand a different approach to deterrence and collective defence. A security architecture built primarily around managing crises rather than shaping outcomes risks falling behind the realities of modern conflict.
Europe’s future security will ultimately depend not only on those prepared to defend themselves, but also on those willing to lead a new strategic vision for the continent.
Ukraine has demonstrated that it is prepared to do the former. The unanswered question is who is prepared to do the latter.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi is Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine