Ministry of Defense announces start of public consultations on changes to Ukraine's defense policy
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announces the first public consultation in the department’s history on changes to the state’s defense policy. These changes should take into account the conditions of a protracted war, technological confrontation, and attrition warfare.
The first step was the preparation and publication of a consultation document, "Green Book: Strategic Directions, Challenges and a New Defense Architecture," which invites public discussion, the ministry’s press service reported.
"The goal of the Green Book is to create a shared understanding of key challenges and to design a forward-looking defense model capable of ensuring state resilience and deterring an aggressor with significantly greater resources. Ukraine’s response should be a transition to an integrated defense system that, through network-centric interaction, technological adaptability, and a ‘war of intellects,’ offsets the enemy’s numerical advantage," Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
The ministry noted that this defense model will allow faster decision-making, provide technological advantages, build a resilient defense-industrial ecosystem, and deepen interoperability with NATO.
The document presents strategic dilemmas for discussion rather than finalized directives or decisions, highlighting that each choice carries a cost and affects resource resilience. The purpose of the Green Book is to gather expert proposals, test key assumptions, and develop coordinated approaches for future political decisions.
Shmyhal emphasized the importance of involving the professional community in decision-making. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is therefore inviting service members, administrators, defense industry representatives, scientists, and experts to review the Green Book and submit their proposals through an online form.
The proposals received and the results of the consultations will be processed and used as a basis for preparing the White Defense Book — a document that will outline a concrete action plan, necessary legislative changes, and a forward-looking model for Ukraine’s Defense Forces. This marks the beginning of a transition from reactive responses to systematic planning for future security.