After Donald Trump’s choreographed verbal ambush of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on 28 February (during which the US president and vice president JD Vance criticised and insulted Zelenskyy and made false statements about Ukraine and the aid that had been provided), several media outlets reported on 5 March that the US had stopped sharing intelligence about Russia with Ukraine and shipping weapons to Ukraine.

That same day in Luxembourg, Ukraine’s deputy finance minister Olga Zykova gave a speech at the third edition of the Ukraine Resilience Business Forum, where she highlighted the broader implications that Russia’s full-scale war has brought to the world.

“Ukraine has already proved itself to be not only a victim of the external aggression, but actually as a resilient force in the defence of democratic values--and the democratic values of the European stability,” she said. Granted candidate status in June 2022, it has been carrying out reforms as part of its  to the European Union. And whilst martial law does not permit Ukraine to hold elections during wartime, the country has seen six presidents since its independence in 1991. Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, has been prime minister or president of Russia since 1999.

Ukraine is “not only defined by its military struggle and resilience,” Zykova continued. “The country’s strategic importance actually shapes global dynamics, particularly in the context of energy security, supply chains and food production.” Ukraine, for instance, exports millions of tonnes of grain, maize and other foodstuffs to developing countries. Russia’s full-scale invasion caused disruptions of grain exports as Russian military vessels blocked Ukraine’s ports in the Black Sea, as .

“At the same time, the resilience itself shows that we are not fully dependent on external support and funding; the country is making significant steps towards the economic reform agenda and towards being more transparent and market-oriented,” said Ukraine’s deputy finance minister. “And I think that we all must acknowledge the broader global implications which the war has brought.” Big questions have come to the surface when it comes to the existing international system and power dynamics in the 21st century, she argued. “The world has witnessed troubling developments that have exposed vulnerabilities in global structures.”

America’s withdrawal of military support for Ukraine, its increasing isolationism, threats of tariffs and trade wars under Trump, and the US president’s apparent willingness to abandon Nato and allies of long date to align itself with Russia are a few of the vulnerabilities that come to mind.

Unity and solidarity

“I would like to take the opportunity for us to think of the lessons learned,” continued Zykova, and “to reflect on what Ukraine can show the world.”

The first lesson--the “most vital” one--was about unity and solidarity. “The whole concept of unity and solidarity lies within the will to resist. And I think that these are powerful tools that actually help the nation to endure, to help the nation overcome even the most brutal of the war,” she said. “Collective security is not just a political statement now. Collective security has become the mechanism for preventing aggression.”

Power of information and technology

“The second lesson learned already is the power of information and technology in modern warfare,” said Zykova. “The power of information and how it spreads has already shaped the battlefield. And actually, both sides are using cyber tools, media narratives and digital technologies to shape public opinion.” Details of the war are easily available online, with, for instance, social media posts, think tanks that track the gain and loss of territory or military bloggers who offer their perspective directly from the frontline.

This lesson might seem simple, but it’s complex, said Zykova. “Information is critical--and as critical as military tools during warfare.”

Rethink resilience

“Lesson number three: we need to rethink the concept of resilience,” she continued. “It’s not only about  military strength. The concept of resilience is also about economic endurance; it is about social cohesion; and it is about the combination of human spirit and purpose.”

“Moreover, we can--and must--control the humanitarian toll from the war,” said Zykova, “This is the red line for all the lessons learned--that actually this should be the key purpose of each and every step taken.”

As a reminder, Russian military forces have repeatedly attacked medical facilities, hospitals, clinics, ambulances, residential buildings, supermarkets and other civilian structures during its full-scale war against Ukraine. To present just four examples of healthcare facilities that have been targeted: on 9 March 2022, Russian forces bombed Maternity Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol, killing at least four people and injuring more than a dozen (the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe later concluded that this was a war crime perpetrated by Russia); ten people were killed in Russia’s double-tap attack on a Sumy hospital on 28 September 2024; on 8 July 2024, Russia bombarded cities across Ukraine, damaging the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv; and a Russian drone attack on 28 February 2025 hit a medical facility in Kharkiv.

Importance of preparedness and agility

The fourth lesson highlighted by Zykova was the importance of preparedness and deterrence. “In times of uncertainty, we need to plan. And with this, I think that it’s a call for nations to invest--not only in military capabilities, as you do today--not only in diplomacy and economic strategies, but actually to think about the need to adapt.” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on 4 March presented the Rearm Europe, .

It’s key to incorporate agility into strategies. Looking back at February 2022, when Ukraine’s forces were initially outmatched, we then saw “Ukraine’s ability to pilot [new initiatives] and adjust to shifting conditions on the ground,” said Zykova. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, for instance, the country has built up a domestic drone industry, prioritising affordability, adaptability and scale, notes an by Joyce Hakmeh, deputy director of the international security programme at the Chatham House think tank.

“This is a lesson we can offer--and we can share--about the importance of flexibility and strategic innovations in a time of crisis,” Zykova concluded.