Ukraine War Raises Questions Over Whether NATO Is Ready for the Next Conflict

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has not only caused enormous human losses but has also transformed modern warfare, providing a real-world testing ground for drones, electronic warfare, missiles and other weapons systems.

The rapid changes on the battlefield are now raising an uncomfortable question for NATO: Can the alliance adapt quickly enough to the changing nature of warfare?

Five Ukrainian and Western defence officials told Reuters that developments in Ukraine are moving so quickly that some NATO weapons, tactics and training methods risk becoming outdated.

Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, has often been forced to adapt its battlefield technology and tactics within weeks. NATO countries, by contrast, can take years or even decades to develop, procure and deploy major weapons systems. 

The war has also encouraged NATO members to increase defence spending and reconsider how their militaries prepare for a future conflict.

Drones Are Changing the Battlefield

One of the most significant lessons from the war has been the growing importance of relatively inexpensive drones.

Ukrainian forces have used large numbers of drones for surveillance, targeting and attacks, while Russia has also expanded its use of unmanned systems.

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Denys Shtilerman, co-owner and chief designer of Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturer Fire Point, told Reuters that inexpensive drones can threaten expensive military equipment such as tanks.

The growing presence of drones also makes it more dangerous for troops to gather in groups or move in large vehicle convoys because they can be detected and targeted from above.

Oleksandr Pivnenko, commander of Ukraine’s National Guard, told Reuters that troops trained under traditional methods face a different battlefield when drones are constantly operating overhead.

NATO itself has acknowledged the transformation.

In July, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said drones had fundamentally altered the character of modern warfare and announced the NATO Drone Edge initiative, under which allies are investing more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over five years. 

Ukraine Has Lessons for NATO

Ukrainian officials increasingly see their country not only as a recipient of military assistance but also as a source of battlefield knowledge for NATO countries.

Ukraine has developed extensive experience with drones, electronic warfare and rapid battlefield adaptation since Russia’s invasion began in 2022.

NATO has established mechanisms for learning from the war, including the NATO Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre in Poland.

The alliance says it is using Ukrainian battlefield experience to improve training, interoperability and future military capabilities. 

However, Ukrainian officials interviewed by Reuters said NATO’s military bureaucracy can make it difficult to absorb lessons at the same speed at which warfare is changing.

One Ukrainian officer who received NATO psychological-operations training in Romania told Reuters that some training materials still relied on historical case studies, including examples from the Second World War.

NATO did not respond to Reuters’ questions about the officials’ criticisms of its training and bureaucracy. 

Air Defence Remains a Major Challenge

The war has also highlighted the importance and limitations of air and missile defence.

Russia’s repeated missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities have placed enormous demands on Ukraine’s air-defence network.

Ukraine has relied heavily on sophisticated Western systems, including the US-made Patriot, while facing shortages of interceptors.

NATO has acknowledged the importance of strengthening air and missile defence. The alliance says its integrated air and missile defence capabilities have become particularly important because of the proliferation of drones and missiles demonstrated during Russia’s war against Ukraine. 

European countries are also working on alternatives and additional capabilities.

France and Italy are developing the SAMP/T-NG air-defence system, while Ukraine and several European countries have launched cooperation aimed at developing new missile-defence capabilities.

Europe Looks for Greater Defence Independence

The Ukraine war has also intensified debate over Europe’s reliance on US military technology.

European governments are increasing defence spending and seeking to expand domestic weapons production and air-defence capabilities.

One project highlighted in the Reuters report is Freyja, a European air-defence initiative involving Ukraine and several European countries.

The objective is to develop a more affordable and rapidly produced anti-ballistic missile capability while strengthening Europe’s ability to manufacture and control its own defence systems. 

The issue has become even more significant as President Donald Trump’s administration has questioned the level of European defence spending and the United States’ long-term military role in Europe.

The Pentagon is also reviewing the US military presence in Europe.

A Faster-Changing Form of Warfare

The Ukraine conflict is demonstrating that modern warfare is not simply about having the most expensive weapons.

The ability to adapt quickly, manufacture equipment rapidly, integrate drones and counter-drone systems, protect troops from increasingly sophisticated attacks and learn from battlefield experience has become increasingly important.

NATO is already taking steps to adapt. In June, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Ukrainian and NATO forces were becoming increasingly interoperable and that the alliance was learning from Ukraine in areas including drone and counter-drone technology. 

The central challenge, however, remains the speed of adaptation.

Ukraine has been forced to innovate under battlefield pressure, while NATO must translate those lessons into procurement programmes, military doctrine and training involving an alliance of 32 countries.

The war in Ukraine therefore offers NATO an unprecedented source of real world lessons but also a warning that military technology and tactics can evolve much faster than traditional defence procurement systems.