Russia’s war against Ukraine marks a turning point for Europe, particularly as the United States can no longer be relied upon as a dependable partner. Ukraine is acting as a shield, while Europe faces a choice between mere containment and the long-term destruction of Russia’s war-making capacity.
On March 24 in Berlin, Zentrum Liberale Moderne brought together leading experts and policymakers for its international Ukraine conference to address this very challenge. Lesia Ogryzko, Director of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, was among the speakers shaping the discussion.
Speaking at the event, she articulated a clear strategic position:
“If we want to survive this genocidal existential war, we must dismantle Russia’s ability to wage it. This requires developing next-generation deep strike capabilities into Russian territory, scaling special operations on its territory, and combining these efforts with cognitive warfare. These measures are the sanctions that work most effectively.”
The broader discussion centered on a fundamental dilemma: Europe can choose the path of containment — viable in the short term, but unsustainable for Ukraine and ultimately for Europe itself — or it can take on the more difficult task of decisively dismantling Russia’s military potential.
Russia’s ambitions extend far beyond the subjugation of Ukraine. A failure to act decisively now risks enabling further aggression, further eroding the rules-based order, and deepening divisions within Europe.
As Ukraine is a net security provider for the continent — absorbing Russian aggression and preventing Moscow from advancing further west — Europe must not only scale up its support, but also adopt Ukraine’s innovations in unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and deep strikes. Closing this gap requires joint ventures, increased investment, and accelerated procurement.
We appreciate LibMod’s invitation to contribute to this discussion and to help ensure that Europe takes bolder action: setting clear objectives together with Ukraine and rejecting quick fixes that undermine long-term European security.
