While Ukraine most often garners headlines for its drone warfare innovation, the country is also producing a playbook for countering the destructive effects of Russian propaganda. This Ukrainian experience offers important lessons for the wider Western world.
As NATO leaders convene for the Ankara Summit on July 7, the alliance’s future is at stake. Key objectives in Ankara include sustaining American commitment and embedding drone technology across the industrial base of the alliance to shore up security on its eastern flank. At the same time, NATO must also address what it calls “cognitive warfare” as a top priority.
Ukraine’s long record of countering Russian disinformation can help. “For democracies grappling with AI-enhanced foreign interference, Ukraine offers a living template: Build whole-of-society coalitions, couple innovation with ethics, and hard-wire literacy into national security,” argues MIT postdoctoral scholar Halyna Padalko in a 2025 paper.
Stay updated
As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox.
