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Four Questions on NATO, Resilience, and Ukraine’s Future with Iryna Nykorak

  • GIWPS

The July 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara marked a strategic shift in Euro-Atlantic security, solidifying a €70 billion military assistance package for Ukraine and transitioning the Alliance toward long-term deterrence. Alongside formal discussions on collective defense, dedicated side events focused on the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, exploring how women’s leadership and civil society drive national operational readiness.

Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) Executive Director Ambassador Melanne Verveer spoke with Iryna Nykorak about Ukraine’s evolving relationship with NATO, domestic defense production, and the indispensable role of women on the front lines.

Nykorak is a Member of the Parliament of Ukraine, Head of the Subcommittee on Veterans’ Rehabilitation, and Head of the Inter-Factional Group “Veterans Now” in the Verkhovna Rada. As the founder of the initiative Arm Women Now, she is a leading advocate for gender-responsive defense reform and author of the comprehensive study, “The Female Face of Ukraine’s Defence.” Consistently representing Ukraine at international defense forums, she was recognized among Ukrainska Pravda’s Top 100 Most Influential Women of Ukraine in 2025.

Q. What are the main desired outcomes for Ukraine at the NATO meeting?

First and foremost, NATO reaffirmed that support for Ukraine remains a strategic priority. The Allies agreed on a €70 billion military assistance package for 2026 and expressed their intention to maintain at least the same level of support in 2027. This support goes far beyond the delivery of weapons. It also includes military training, the development of Ukraine’s defense industrial base, and Ukraine’s long-term integration into the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.

One of the most significant political breakthroughs of the Ankara Summit was President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States is prepared to grant Ukraine a license to produce interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system. This is far more than a military assistance package – it represents a strategic shift toward enabling Ukraine to build sustainable domestic production of critical air defense capabilities. It reflects a broader understanding that Ukraine’s security depends not only on receiving weapons, but also on being able to produce them together with its partners.

The second important takeaway is that Ukraine is increasingly being viewed as an investment in NATO’s own security. Every euro or dollar invested in Ukraine’s defense today is significantly less costly than a potential future war between NATO and Russia. This is why support for Ukraine is no longer seen solely as an act of solidarity—it has become an essential component of collective security.

Equally important is the fact that Ukraine has become a laboratory of modern warfare. Our experience in the use of drones, digital command and control systems, air defense, logistics, and adaptation to emerging threats is already shaping NATO’s military doctrine. We are no longer merely consumers of security solutions—we are becoming a source of them.

The key conclusion of this Summit is that NATO is moving from a model of crisis response to a model of long-term deterrence against Russia. Ukraine is no longer viewed as a temporary item on the Alliance’s agenda. It has become one of the central pillars of Europe’s future security architecture. In my view, that is the Summit’s most significant political outcome.

Q. Was there any specific attention given to women’s unique roles within the security sector in the formal meeting? Was there a side event focused on these issues? If so, what specific topics were discussed?

Yes. While the formal NATO Summit agenda was naturally focused on collective defense, deterrence, defense spending, and support for Ukraine, there was also meaningful attention given to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda through dedicated side events.

I had the honor of participating as a speaker representing Ukraine at two high-level discussions.

The first panel, “Strengthening Readiness through a Whole-of-Society Approach: WPS Agenda Contribution to Strengthening Operational Resilience and Long-Term Security,” focused on how the WPS agenda contributes directly to NATO’s operational readiness. The discussion emphasized that strengthening defense is not only about increasing military capabilities but also about investing in human capital, attracting and retaining talent, strengthening civil-military cooperation, and mobilizing society as a whole. Drawing on Ukraine’s experience, I shared how women’s leadership and the active engagement of civil society have become critical elements of national resilience and defense during wartime.

The second event, “The Missing Piece for Peace: Women Leading Resilience,” explored the role of women leaders in responding to today’s complex security challenges, including armed conflict, disinformation, humanitarian crises and long-term recovery. The discussion highlighted that women are not only beneficiaries of security policies but essential decision-makers who strengthen resilience, shape peacebuilding efforts and contribute to more effective and inclusive security governance.

One of the key messages emerging from both discussions was that the Women, Peace and Security agenda is no longer viewed simply as a gender equality issue. It is increasingly recognized as a strategic security tool that enhances operational effectiveness, resilience and long-term stability. Ukraine’s experience demonstrates that when women are fully integrated into defense and security institutions and when society as a whole is engaged in national resilience, countries become stronger and better prepared to respond to modern security threats.

I was pleased to contribute Ukraine’s experience to these discussions and to demonstrate that our country is not only receiving security support but also actively shaping NATO’s understanding of resilience, operational readiness and the future of collective security.

Q. You have been dedicated to advocating for women in the security sector in Ukraine, both those on active duty and the veterans. Can you tell us about the important role they are playing during the ongoing full-scale attack on Ukraine by Russia?

I believe that in Ukraine today, women’s leadership is no longer simply a question of gender equality. It is a question of national survival and defense capability.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, women have become indispensable across every part of our security and defense sector. They serve on the front line, command units, operate drones, provide intelligence, lead logistics, deliver combat medicine, and support military innovation. But their contribution goes far beyond military service.

Our experience teaches a simple lesson: women’s participation is a matter of national resilience. It directly affects a country’s ability to defend itself, adapt, and survive.

This understanding has shaped my work both as a Member of Parliament and as the founder of Arm Women Now. We advocate for the systemic integration of women into the security sector—not only by addressing immediate needs such as properly designed uniforms, equipment, and services, but also by improving legislation, supporting veterans, and ensuring that women have equal opportunities to build long-term military careers.

One of our most important initiatives has been conducting one of the largest studies ever undertaken on women in Ukraine’s security and defense sector, “The Female Face of Ukraine’s Defense.” The research combined quantitative and qualitative methods, covering nearly 13,500 women across the security and defense sector, including a dedicated survey of servicewomen, in-depth interviews and policy analysis.

The findings reveal one of the most significant transformations of women’s participation in defense in modern European history.

Perhaps the most important question we asked was: Why do women join the military?

 The answer challenges many common assumptions. Economic reasons matter, but they are not the primary motivation. The strongest drivers are civic responsibility, the desire to protect family and country, and the conviction that remaining a passive observer during war was simply not an option. For many women, military service was not a career decision—it was a moral decision.

At the same time, our research shows that recruitment is only half of the challenge. Retention is equally important.

Women often join because of patriotism, but they stay when they see opportunities for professional development, leadership, education, recognition, and fair working conditions. If we fail to create those conditions, we risk losing highly experienced personnel whose knowledge is essential for the future of our armed forces.

This is why I believe the conversation is no longer about representation alone. It is about military effectiveness, operational readiness, and national resilience. Investing in women is not a social policy—it is a defense policy.

This lesson will become even more important after the war. Ukraine’s recovery will require the full participation of women in rebuilding our economy, institutions, and society. That is why we must invest not only in individual women leaders, but also in the institutions, networks, and opportunities that allow their leadership to grow and endure.

Q. In June 2026, EU member states agreed to formally launch membership talks with Ukraine. What does this milestone mean for the country, especially as you continue to navigate the realities of the war?

 For Ukrainians, European integration is not simply a political or economic project. It is a civilizational choice that we are defending every single day with our lives.

As a nation fighting for its survival, we understand perhaps better than anyone the true value of democracy, freedom, human dignity and the rule of law. These are not abstract principles for us. They are values for which Ukrainians are paying the highest possible price.

Every day, while we continue our work in Parliament, our cities are under missile and drone attacks. Civilians are killed, families are forced into shelters, and communities are destroyed. The path to Europe for Ukraine is literally paved with the blood, sacrifice, and resilience of our people.

Of course, it is incredibly difficult to simultaneously defend the country against a full-scale invasion while implementing the ambitious reforms required for EU membership. Few countries have ever had to transform their institutions while fighting an existential war.

But despite these extraordinary circumstances, Ukraine has remained committed to its European path because we know exactly what kind of country we want to build after victory.

The decision by EU Member States to formally launch accession negotiations is therefore much more than a political milestone. It is a recognition that Ukraine belongs to the European family and that our future is inseparable from Europe’s future.

At the same time, there is a growing understanding across Europe that Ukraine is not only asking for security – it is already providing it. Today, Ukrainian soldiers are defending not only our own independence but also the security architecture and democratic values of Europe as a whole.

That is why I believe Ukraine does not seek EU membership as a reward for its sacrifices. We seek it because we share the same values, because we are already contributing to Europe’s collective security, and because our future, and Europe’s future are fundamentally intertwined.

Ukraine is already acting like a European nation under the most difficult circumstances imaginable. Becoming a member of the European Union is the natural completion of that journey.

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