Knowing the political goal of a war makes it possible to understand what the enemy is doing, and how to respond.

The conflict in Ukraine has been going on for 12 years, beginning with the 2014 invasion of Crimea. There is no doubt over Russia’s political goal: the abolition of Ukraine as an independent state. Understanding this has to form the basis for building a strategy that will preserve our statehood.

We are in an extremely difficult situation, where a rushed peace will only lead to a devastating defeat and loss of independence.

Ludmilla, 34, was injured in a drone strike while sleeping on November 29, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russian missiles and drones slammed residential Kyiv overnight, killing two civilians and injuring dozens, including a child. Credit: Getty Images

I became commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine in August 2021. Although the military was undergoing a transformation and gaining combat experience, it still had many problems. The Russian army was rapidly increasing its forces and supplies. The Kremlin increased the military budget year after year, invested resources in the defence-industrial complex and purchased more weapons and equipment.

Meanwhile the opposite was happening in Ukraine. In 2021, the army was allocated even less money than in the previous year. As a result, our military met a

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