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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tA country’s resilience depends on more than its military capabilities. Equally important are effective institutions, civic engagement, the ability to rapidly deploy innovations, and the capacity to maintain economic activity and essential public services. Ukraine’s experience demonstrates that responding effectively to crises requires not only preparedness but also continuous adaptation to evolving threats. These were among the key issues discussed at a \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 ITECH expert debate held on 29 October 2026, which explored the lessons Poland and Europe can draw from Ukraine’s experience. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
The debate, \u201cResilience in Wartime: What Can Europe Learn from Ukraine?\u201d, brought together the following participants: prof. Rafa\u0142 \u0141ukasik, PhD, DsC Eng. <\/a>, acting Director of the \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 Institute of Industrial Chemistry<\/a> and the \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 Institute of Organic Industry<\/a>; Aleksandra Iwaniuk, PhD, of the University of Warsaw\u2019s Faculty of Artes Liberales<\/a>; Grzegorz Gil, PhD<\/a>, Director of the Institute of Central Europe<\/a>; and Melania Parzonka<\/a>, Deputy Head of the Centre for Security and Defence Innovation at \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 ITECH. The discussion was moderated by Szymon K\u0119pka. <\/p> The experts examined the factors that enabled Ukraine to maintain the functioning of its state institutions following Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022. Among the most significant were the experience gained since 2014, the development of civil society, decentralisation reforms, and the ability of Ukrainian institutions and businesses to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances. <\/p> Key Takeaways from the Debate:<\/p> 1. Resilience is a process that must be built long before a crisis occurs.<\/strong> 2. Strong local communities and effective institutions reinforce one another.<\/strong> 3. Rapid adaptation and technology deployment are becoming critical to security.<\/strong> 4. National resilience also depends on technological and economic sovereignty.<\/strong> 5. Europe should draw lessons from Ukraine\u2019s experience while preparing for its own threat scenarios.<\/strong> Ukraine\u2019s experience demonstrates that resilience is neither a single capability nor a set of ready-made solutions, but the result of cooperation between government, society, academia and industry. The most important lesson for Europe is the need to build systems that can not only respond to threats but also learn and adapt to changing circumstances. <\/p>
\u201cResilience is not a characteristic, but a process,\u201d emphasised Grzegorz Gil, PhD. Ukraine\u2019s experience demonstrates that an effective response to threats is not simply the result of spontaneous mobilisation, but also of earlier reforms, accumulated experience and capabilities developed over many years. At the same time, resilience is not an inexhaustible resource. Prolonged conflict leads to societal fatigue and places increasing strain on organisations providing assistance, making sustainable support mechanisms essential. <\/p>
Decentralisation and an active civil society were key elements of Ukraine\u2019s response to Russian aggression. The ability of local authorities to make decisions independently enabled them to organise assistance and coordinate crisis response efforts more quickly. However, this does not mean that the state can shift responsibility for security entirely onto its citizens. Building effective resilience requires cooperation between central government, local authorities, emergency services and civil society organisations, as well as sustained public trust in state institutions. <\/p>
Ukraine\u2019s experience offers valuable lessons, but not all of its solutions can be directly applied across Europe. The ability to anticipate threats, assess different crisis scenarios, and prepare institutions and citizens for emergencies is essential. Building resilience also requires education, effective communication, efforts to counter disinformation, and stronger European cooperation. As the debate participants emphasised, trust, social cohesion and the capacity for collective action remain just as important as technological development. <\/p>
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