Ukraine is a de facto NATO country except for the formal acceptance with Article 5 security protection. It's NATO's war against the Russian Federation. All bets are open.

Defend. Resist. Repeat: Ukraine's lessons for European defence | ECFR - Nov. 9, 2022 |

Ukraine's response to the Russian invasion holds vital lessons for the rest of Europe.

• Ukraine's response to Russian aggression in 2022 holds valuable lessons for the EU and its member states.
• Since 2014, Ukraine has transformed its armed forces, mobilised a network of reservists, and coordinated military and civilian defence agencies to prioritise cross-society resilience to crises.
• It has done so by adopting NATO best practices and through a unique movement of volunteers who help fund the war effort.
• The Ukrainian armed forces have also found innovative ways to use new technologies in mounting an asymmetric response to their much larger adversary.
• EU member states can learn from Ukraine's experiences, but this should be a two-way street - with European countries continuing to supply weapons and provide training to Ukraine, and gaining real-world wartime insights in return.

Ukraine's defence has evolved over eight years of war from an `anti-terrorist operation' (ATO) to a `joint forces operation'. The government has placed the armed forces and law enforcement agencies under a single command; and then, after the February 2022 Russian invasion, created a de-facto "Total defense system".

'Sapere aude'