Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi during his meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 24, 2026. (Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram)The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces — the President of Ukraine — and the Minister of Defense have entrusted me with command of Ukraine's military, the Armed Forces. I assume this duty with the understanding that the next stage of this war requires more from us: to command the Armed Forces in the war today while ensuring that they emerge from it stronger.We must both fight and become better every day, adapt, and thereby ensure our advantage.Every decision taken jointly with the Defense Minister must strengthen the armed forces, and every change we make must increase our effectiveness in the war already today.These are my principles of leadership and development of the Armed Forces in wartime. They explain how I intend to lead the military. They set out the intent, priorities, and expectations that will guide my actions.They don't replace existing strategic and operational plans, but define my vision, priorities, and principles of leadership as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.My intent is to lead an Armed Forces capable of winning today's battles while at the same time building the military of tomorrow.We cannot choose between conducting the war today and preparing for the war of the future. To achieve success, we must do both.My first and foremost duty is to stabilize the front, integrate new combat capabilities, and provide commanders with the necessary resources and freedom of action they need to defeat the enemy.At the same time, we must build, train, and retain our human capital, provide the troops with the necessary and high-quality weapons and equipment, while developing the defense-industrial capabilities required to wage a protracted war not only today, but also in the future.My duty as Commander-in-Chief is to implement the strategic direction defined by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief — the President of Ukraine, to make decisions that can only be made by the Commander-in-Chief, and to create the conditions for subordinate commanders and leaders to succeed.President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) shakes hands with Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Mykhailo Drapatyi during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 20, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office / AP)I will not command every individual battle or operation. I will exercise command through the intent, delegate authority where appropriate, demand accountability at every level, and expect every commander to show initiative.My priorities are clear. Every decision I make and every resource I allocate will be directed towards achieving one or more of the following objectives.The first one is to stabilize the front, while maintaining existing combat capabilities and integrating new ones. The goal is to seize the initiative where possible, deny the enemy its operational objectives, and better protect our people, our cities, villages, and critical infrastructure from enemy strikes.The second objective is to create a balanced system for the formation and management of the Armed Forces' human capital. We should change and develop the system of recruitment, training, service, rotation, retention, and discharge of military personnel, which ensures the necessary strength and combat readiness of the armed forces while simultaneously taking into account the needs of service members and society.This goal involves the development of leadership, the systems of training, management, and employment of human capital. Our task is to ensure conditions under which military service is predictable, fair, and professional, while personnel decisions are based on the needs of the military, competencies, and performance in service.We should strengthen public trust in the Armed Forces and take into account the lessons of the past when shaping policies for recruitment, service, and end of service.Ukrainian infantrymen of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade, call signs "Batia" and "Puma", head for rotation after leaving their forward positions, where they spent 59 days holding the line of defense near the border with Russia, in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine, on Aug. 28, 2026. (Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty Images)Thirdly, the objective is to ensure the unity of effort.Make the Armed Forces the center for developing the military intent and coordinating the employment of military capabilities. Unite actions on land, in the air, at sea, in cyberspace, and in the cognitive domain under a single intent, synchronized in time, space, and resources, and directed towards achieving a common result. No service, branch, or structure may place its own interests above the overall operational and defense force outcome.