An ethical response to an unethical adversary
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- NDC Policy Brief 16-22: An ethical response to an unethical adversary , by Ian Anthony*
The war in Ukraine has been a strategic shock to
Europe, and the consequences are yet to be fully
assimilated. However, the fighting has revealed
stark differences between the Russian way of war and
the manner in which NATO could respond. It clearly
benefits NATO to adapt policies to the context of an
operation in Europe against a peer competitor and to
ensure that it responds ethically even to an unethical
adversary. This presents the Alliance with a new set of
challenges that impact not only military plans but also
NATO’s goals in the realm of human security as stipulated in the new Strategic Concept.1
Given developments in the Russia-Ukraine war to date, this Policy Brief identifies military and non-military areas in which NATO can reinforce an ethical response in defence and operational planning. The military dimension includes enhancing missile defence, unconventional warfare and responding to aggressive nuclear rethoric. Concerning non-military activities, NATO can target strategic communications, civil defence and accountability for war crimes to uphold human security.
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