International Week in Kyiv 2024 – Supporting Ukraine Through Strategic Education & Fostering Intellectual Interoperability
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For the first time since the onset of the war in Ukraine, the International Week in Kyiv resumed and took place from 15 to 17 October 2024. Jointly organized by the NATO Defense College (NDC) and the National Defence University of Ukraine (NDUU), the Kyiv Week 2024, entitled “NATO in the New Era of Collective Defence”, was held in a hybrid setting. Virtual lectures and panel discussions were livestreamed to participants attending the event in person in Kyiv and to other partner institutions in Lviv, Odessa, and Kharkiv in Ukraine.
The event brought together approximately 800 to 900 students, all senior officers and senior civilian officials from Ukrainian military institutions. Attendees engaged in insightful discussions and gained a deeper understanding of the Alliance’s policies, decision-making processes and strategic priorities, and of its evolving security imperatives in Europe.
The Commandants of the NDC and the NDUU, LGEN Max A.L.T. Nielsen and CGEN Mykhailo Koval respectively, kickstarted the event alongside high-level NATO officials such as LGEN Janusz Adamczak, Director General International Military Staff at NATO; Mr Angus Lapsley, Assistant Secretary General Defence Policy & Planning at NATO; and LGEN Andrew Rohling, Deputy Chair of the NATO Military Committee. EU officials Ms Vineta Kleine, Head of Communications at the NATO Representation to Ukraine, and Rémi Duflot, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, also delivered lectures to the participants. Guest speakers included experts from academia, from the private sector, such as Mr Angus MacGregor-Millar, General Manager, Worldwide Defense & Intelligence at Microsoft, and from other organizations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and the RAND Corporation.
The discussions delved into NATO’s ongoing transformation, addressing the urgent need to adapt to the dynamic security landscape and the new strategic imperatives it entails. Participants gained insights into the Alliance’s warfighting and military adaptation occurring on the strategic, operational and tactical levels. Speakers notably pointed out the dual injunction for NATO to invest in the modernization of its capabilities to counter contemporary warfare tactics and effectively address multi-domain threats, while also continuing to invest in increasing preparedness and delivering aid to Ukraine. Strategic communications were another key focus. Lecturers commended Ukraine's ability to maintain a powerful narrative throughout the war and addressed NATO's efforts to convey a unified and consistent message regarding Ukraine and Russia that could be translated into tangible actions on the ground.
The lecturers and panellists highlighted the importance of EU-NATO cooperation in supporting Ukraine and navigating the changing European security environment. The discussions provided a critical analysis of the EU's efforts and of the support offered to Ukraine in the mid- to long-term. Overall, the need for enhanced collaboration among NATO, the EU and Ukraine was emphasized. The discussions notably underscored the role of initiatives such as the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC), the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), and the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC) in advancing political dialogue and cooperation between the Allies and Kyiv.
With first-hand insights into NATO’s policies and strategic priorities, Kyiv Week offered participants a platform to discuss the impact of the war on the global security environment and the complexities of both NATO’s and the EU’s assistance to Ukraine. By fostering intellectual interoperability and advancing professional military education, Kyiv Week 2024 contributed to furthering the dialogue on Ukraine’s relationship and cooperation with NATO.
For the past two decades, the International Week in Kyiv has been a pivotal platform for enhancing mutual, strategic and critical thinking between NATO and its Ukrainian partner. Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, NATO's support extends beyond military aid, encompassing strategic, intellectual and educational dimensions.