HONORARY PATRONAGE

Since 2022, Central and Eastern Europe has become the epicentre of Europe’s defence transformation. Today’s war is evolving at extraordinary speed, and our systems must be capable of adapting to these rapid and profound shifts.

In Ukraine, new technologies have become inseparable from the battlefield. In the air, on land, at sea and in space, the ability to collect, store and exploit data has become a decisive weapon. Artificial intelligence is everywhere. It is no longer just an analytical layer for processing military imagery or video; it is now embedded in platforms that provide tactical and strategic advantage: from FPV drones to autonomous robots, next-generation fighters and single-satellite constellations. Increasingly, warfare is software-defined and is here to stay.

As a real-world laboratory for the warfare of today and tomorrow, the Ukrainian theatre must serve as a compass for Europeans and beyond. It should guide our adaptation to threats that continue to target the integrity of Ukraine, the EU and NATO, especially its Eastern flank, as well as Gulf States.