New NATO center will capture Ukrainian 'lessons learned' in fighting Russia

While NATO may not be planning to deploy combat trainers to Ukraine, a new warfighting analysis center slated to be established in Poland will be a place for the Ukrainians to teach NATO.

U.S. NATO Ambassador Julianne Smith said today that the alliance recently approved the creation of a new Joint Analysis Training and Education Center at a to-be-determined location in Poland where the Ukrainians will be able to share the tactical and strategic “lessons learned” in their ongoing fight against Russia.

“People look at the NATO-Ukraine relationship often in a one-way direction -- that it's NATO to Ukraine -- but increasingly we're looking at it as a two-way street,” she said today at a Defense Writers Group event in Washington.

“What can we NATO allies learn from our friends in Ukraine about one, combatting Russian troops in real time -- who has better experience right now than the Ukrainians? -- and two, how have they incorporated technology into the fight,” she said.

The Ukrainian military’s use of commercial technology, especially small drones, has made headlines since the first weeks of the Russian invasion.

“I've heard stories about apps that they’ve designed, you know swipe left for more munitions,” Smith said.

The JATEC, she said, “will be more for NATO allies to learn from the Ukrainians themselves.”

Meanwhile, Smith said Ukraine’s desire to join NATO will be discussed at an upcoming Washington summit in July, where she expects a policy “package” will be unveiled to begin to address the matter.

“Allies will be putting forward a whole package of deliverables that will serve as a bridge to their membership inside the alliance,” she said. “Part of the package will be the language we use to describe Ukraine’s membership aspirations in the declaration itself.”

Smith said things like the JATEC demonstration that Ukraine has much to offer NATO.

“We’ve talked so much about their membership aspirations -- what NATO will bring to Ukraine,” she said. “I think we have to remember the other way around, what Ukraine brings into the alliance.”