Europe must prepare for wars of future: Ukrainian commander urges partners to scale up drone tech
Yevhen Lasiichuk urged Europe to develop unmanned systems (photo: press service of the 7th Air Assault Corps)
Europe should already be preparing for the wars of the future, including by developing unmanned systems and taking their role into account when planning defense, Yevhen Lasiichuk, commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps, said at the Yalta European Strategy forum.
In his speech, Lasiichuk outlined the security challenges Europe will face in the future. The commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps stressed that Ukraine is constantly proposing new technological solutions, while its partners help scale them up.
Transforming war experience
According to Lasiichuk, the experience Ukraine has gained on the modern battlefield has already been transformed into new capabilities for the Ukrainian army. At the same time, he urged the West to start preparing for the war of the future now.
"Based on Ukraine’s experience, our partners already have to think and plan today: build advanced training centers and production facilities, and develop defensive lines that take the unmanned component into account," the brigadier general said.
How many strikes on the battlefield involve drones
Lasiichuk also highlighted the role of unmanned systems in modern warfare. According to him, around 80% of all strikes on the Ukrainian battlefield are carried out using drones.
Therefore, he believes Western partners should not postpone developing these technologies until the moment a direct need for them arises.
"The conclusions are simple. Build up your unmanned capabilities now, not when you need them," the commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps urged.
Lasiichuk concluded that Ukraine is paying a high price today for experience that could help save the lives of its partners in the future.
As previously reported, in the summer of 2026, the Ukrainian army regained the initiative on the battlefield for the first time in a long while. This was achieved in part through the use of AI-powered drones in mid-range strikes.
