This year’s programme focused on a younger generation of students, the leaders of the future: those who will lead the adaptation of NATO and partners in order to be better prepared for the future. International Kyiv Week 2018 gave the NDC the opportunity to provide the topic, selecting lecturers from NATO and the nations, as well as ensuring strategic messaging to the region and to a wider audience.
Ukrainian National Defence University (UNDU) students and participants from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence and General Staff discussed the ways in which NATO nations are able to control their respective armed forces, using the instruments of devolution and decentralization together with the concept of Mission Command, all of which reflects the NATO Operations Planning Process. Mutual understanding was enhanced, with a view to strategic thinking, planning and communication on a shared basis.
Although the military may no longer be at the cutting edge of new technology, this is certainly one of the main drivers in our interaction, particularly with regard to how we plan and conduct operations.
International Kyiv Week 2018 focused on the need for future leaders to be open to innovation, enabling them to make informed decisions about how, when and where to harness the appropriate technology in addressing the challenges ahead.
Quality education and events such as International Kyiv Week can provide an excellent basis for long-term adaptation. With this in mind, preparation for the 2019 edition has already started.
NDC Public Affairs Office
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN