By John Q. Hosedrinker 
During the Loyal Dolos 2025 exercise, Ukrainian experts participated for the first time in practicing mechanisms of Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. Representatives from the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC) assessed an Alliance unit’s combat capabilities, integrating lessons learned from Russia’s war against Ukraine into the scenario. This marked a strategically significant first for Ukrainian involvement in a key NATO training exercise under Article 5. Approximately 1,500 personnel across Europe participated in the exercise to assess the capabilities of a rapid deployment corps.
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Ukrainian experts joining in practicing NATO Article 5 mechanisms for the first time marks a significant moment, a step that’s both strategically sound and long overdue. Thinking about it, the fact that Ukraine is now directly involved in these drills underscores a reality that has become increasingly clear over the past couple of years: Ukraine is not just *a* country facing a significant threat; it’s a country with unparalleled experience in confronting it. Their front-line experience against a peer-level adversary, with all the brutal realities that entails, is frankly, invaluable. It’s like having a seasoned veteran teaching at a military academy; the insights and lessons learned are simply not available anywhere else.
Considering the potential for future conflicts, this collaboration is a game-changer. Ukraine’s battlefield knowledge and the data they’ve been collecting with incredible sacrifice are absolutely critical for shaping how future conflicts are planned and fought. This includes the implementation of Article 5, the bedrock of NATO’s collective defense strategy. Article 5, as everyone knows, essentially states that an attack against one member is an attack against all. For years, this has been a theoretical concept for many NATO members, a hypothetical scenario. Now, experts from Ukraine, who’ve lived and breathed the consequences of actual large-scale conflict, are involved in fleshing out and refining this very framework.
The inclusion of Ukrainian expertise is a strategic masterstroke in so many ways. In essence, Ukraine has, for better or worse, been doing what NATO was created to do. They’ve faced down a formidable enemy, absorbed a relentless onslaught, and demonstrated extraordinary resilience. Quite frankly, they have earned their place at the table, more than anyone else in the room, to actively shape NATO’s readiness to defend itself. It’s a recognition of the invaluable contribution they are making to collective security.
The potential benefit of sharing information on the battlefield is hard to overstate. The exchange of tactics, operational strategies, and lessons learned is a two-way street. NATO can gain an unprecedented understanding of modern warfare and the real-world application of Article 5. At the same time, Ukraine gets the benefit of working with NATO’s resources, technological capabilities, and overall coordination.
It is worth pausing to consider the broader implications. Without a doubt, the fact that no NATO country has been attacked by Russia, or previously by the Soviet Union or the Warsaw Pact, is, in itself, a significant success story for the alliance. It highlights the value of deterrence and the strength that comes from collective defense. The current situation demands that NATO learn from a member fighting a very real war, and that includes integrating their knowledge into the core of how the alliance functions.
There may be those who question why Ukraine would want to join NATO if it wasn’t already a member, especially given the current global dynamics. The answer is obvious: because they are in the throes of an ongoing, horrific conflict and would greatly welcome the additional support that membership and Article 5 protections would guarantee. Imagine having access to allied nuclear weapons to deter any future aggression. Ukraine’s position is not a concession, but rather, a pragmatic assessment of their needs and the critical value they bring to the world.
Some individuals might incorrectly frame NATO’s existence as being primarily to protect America and its European allies. The fact that the alliance exists is to deter aggressive actors from attacking. Ukraine’s experience has demonstrated the potential for those aggressors to actually initiate full-scale wars. The inclusion of Ukrainian experts strengthens the resolve of the alliance and sends a clear message to any potential aggressor.
The integration of Ukrainian experts into the practice of Article 5 mechanisms is not just a symbolic gesture; it’s a critical strategic imperative. It’s about taking the hard-earned lessons of war and applying them to the defense of the free world. It’s about recognizing the unparalleled experience of a nation that has proven its commitment to defending itself, and by extension, the values that NATO represents. This is a crucial step towards bolstering the alliance’s ability to deter aggression and protect its members.