Recent headlines underscore Ukraine’s precarious position in the war against Russian invaders and in the battle of ideas. The infamous meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office last month exposed the extent to which US policy on Ukraine now appears to align with Kremlin talking points. In the MAGA-Putin cinematic universe, Ukraine is portrayed as the aggressor, an ungrateful and unworthy recipient of American military aid. Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities are “what anybody else would do,” according to President Trump.

The fact that so many people and politicians accept claims of this sort—which run the gamut from deeply cynical to highly misleading to downright false—proves that the information environment is exceptionally hostile to reality. The internet and social media are where alternate realities are created, not just where political discourse is influenced. Ukraine—which is targeted not just by bullets and bombs but by narratives and information operations—has learned this lesson at a high cost.

Even as Europe scrambles to figure out how to provide the aid necessary to keep the Russian army off its doorstep, its officials could benefit from lessons learned from Ukraine’s strategic communications (StratCom) battles. The leaders of democracies—in Europe and beyond—must be ready to confront growing foreign manipulation and interference as an urgent security problem. They must develop the necessary defenses based on a whole-of-a-society approach, embracing speed and preemptive action and experimenting with AI-driven countermeasures.

Here are key lessons from Ukraine's war-tested approach to StratCom:

1. Public Sector and Government Collaboration is Essential

In 2021, Ukraine established two specialized bodies to counter Russian disinformation: the International Center for Combating Disinformation and the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. To educate citizens, a media literacy initiative called Filter was also launched. It published children’s books, hosted training sessions, and administered media literacy tests to over 76,000 people—including those in occupied territories.

The full-scale invasion in February 2022 spurred rapid innovation. Ukrainian startups developed AI-powered tools to detect harmful narratives, map influence networks, and prevent disinformation spread. Their speed and agility often outpaced government-led efforts; this is the value of grassroots expertise.

Every Ukrainian became a voice of the embattled country, an eyewitness of atrocities and brave resistance. Even the simplest, unpolished messages and videos from Ukrainians on Instagram, X, or Facebook often had the greatest impact. Amplified by influencers, bloggers, fact-checkers, media outlets, independent communicators, and international allies, real-time authentic story-telling helped the truth prevail over lies.

Like Ukraine’s volunteer-driven military support, civil society initiatives have proven vital in the information war. The PR Army, a coalition of Ukrainian communication professionals, emerged on day one of Russia’s full-scale invasion to connect Ukrainian war witnesses, officials, and experts with international media. Now a full-fledged NGO, it has shaped global narratives through media and advocacy campaigns, such as campaigns around forceful deportation ("Where Are Our People?") and sanctions enforcement ("Disarm Russia").

In times of bold action, bold messaging, and creativity are just as essential to keep Ukraine in the spotlight and overcome war fatigue. The official social media accounts of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs embraced memes and sarcasm and rolled out dozens of creative initiatives in formats entirely unconventional for traditional government communication. The number of followers on Ukraine’s official Instagram page (one channel in the Ukraine.ua digital ecosystem under the MFA) grew from about 130,000 to nearly 1 million in just the first few days of the full-scale invasion.

2. The Importance of Cross-Border Coalitions and Knowledge Sharing

The belief that conflicts happen "elsewhere" is obsolete. The interconnected information space ensures that threats spill over borders. Russian influence operations have disrupted elections in Georgia, Romania, and Moldova. The EU now scrutinizes US-based platforms for their impact on European electorates.

However, the recent shift in US foreign policy underscores a growing uncertainty in transatlantic commitments. This strategic pivot has left European democracies facing a new reality: they must take greater responsibility for countering information operations and hybrid threats—without relying on support from Washington or Silicon Valley. This means expanding European-led coalitions, intensifying cooperation with regional allies, and investing in autonomous defense mechanisms to counter information warfare.

NATO’s StratCom Center of Excellence provides a model, as does Latvia’s "National Concept on Strategic Communication and Security of the Information Space." The Lithuanian multilayered proactive approach to countering foreign information manipulations and interference (FIMI) and building resilience through legal, media, civic, and StratCom initiatives underscore the need for strategic cooperation against malign influence campaigns.

3. Agility and a Sense of Urgency are Crucial

Authoritarian adversaries act swiftly and in unison. Democracies must not lag in their response. Ukraine has learned resilience through necessity: missile strikes—often accompanied by disinformation—cripple infrastructure, cause blackouts, and disrupt telecom networks. Yet the public remains informed and carries on.

The key lesson? Be flexible. Identify threats quickly, adapt strategies, and accept that no one has all the answers. Democracies must evolve faster than adversaries but be prepared for a long game. Finland offers a long-term model: its education system fosters media literacy from an early age, making citizens less susceptible to propaganda. Yet, practicing media literacy and meta-cognition alone is not enough in today’s hybrid warfare landscape.

4. Proactive Strategy and Crisis Preparedness are Necessary

Hybrid war is here. Governments must integrate StratCom into military-civilian cooperation and prepare for crises. Every institution—national governments, local municipalities, and NGOs —must have contingency plans for information and cyber attacks.

A proactive approach builds resilience. Sweden’s "In Case of Crisis or War" brochure and video are examples of preparedness, stating unequivocally: "If Sweden is attacked, we will never surrender. Any suggestion to the contrary is false." This is an excellent example of pre-bunking (along with comprehensive to-do lists for civilians in case of invasion).

The impact of info ops is minimized by building trust (which hostile actors aim to erode at all costs). We must understand all societal groups' underlying hopes and fears - and address them before adversaries take advantage of them and undermine democratic institutions. It is crucial to prioritize vulnerable groups and build a sense of belonging.

Preemptive measures work better than reactive ones. Instead of merely debunking falsehoods, democracies must get ahead with emotionally compelling, credible narratives. Adjust messaging to offline and online channels and work through emotional framing and pre-bunking. The goal is not just to counter lies but to ensure the truth is heard first.

The reality of the information war

Russia’s 2025 budget allocates $1.42 billion to state propaganda ($27 million per week!), with additional funds funneled through non-state actors. This is not limited to media or cinematography; a whole domain of cultural, sports, and scientific diplomacy is engaged.

Information operations aren’t just on mainstream platforms anymore; they thrive in unmoderated ecosystems like Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, and “free speech” platforms such as Rumble. Radicalization happens in closed communities, making attribution nearly impossible. Governments and NGOs must pivot to nimbler, AI-driven strategies to identify and mitigate info ops rather than relying solely on traditional fact-checking.

Adversaries use AI, hire reputation management firms, and mobilize micro-influencers to hijack agendas, sow distrust, and fracture democracies. To counter it, we need a collective defense mindset. And a quantum leap in collaboration—among governments, platforms, media, business, academia, and civil society. Defenders must also speak the same language of situational awareness (like in the cybersecurity field). Disinformation Analysis and Risk Management (DISARM) framework maps attackers' behaviors through tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and offers defense actions.

We should adopt different cognitive science and social psychology approaches for StratCom and test different formats—from town hall meetings to viral flashmobs and gamification. This requires a shift in focus. Instead of chasing falsehoods, we must strengthen resilience and produce authentic, engaging content that builds trust. This means strategically amplifying independent democratic voices and leveraging local influencers who can reach audiences in peer-to-peer exchanges.

For too long, democracies have been playing catch-up in the information war. In 2025, we must:

• Outpace adversaries with faster, proactive strategic communication that incorporates emerging technology and reaches all levels of society.
• Leverage AI for situational awareness and rapid response rather than allowing it to be weaponized against us.
• Regulate and dismantle the disinformation-for-hire industry with swift policy changes.
• Invest in authentic content ecosystems, not just counter-disinformation campaigns. Trust must be rebuilt through credible, localized narratives and voices.

The clock is ticking

The information war moves at breakneck speed. Yesterday’s allies can become rivals overnight. Information security must become a top priority because online events have real-world consequences.

Ukraine is a frontier state that has endured decades of hybrid threats through self-reliance, innovation, and agility. Europe and other allied democracies must learn from its experience. Situational awareness, strategic planning, cooperation, and decisive action are crucial. Try, fail, adapt, and keep moving forward—because tomorrow, democracy is at stake.

If Ukraine had surrendered in 2004, 2014, or 2022, there would be no Ukraine today. But we chose to stand for freedom, human rights, and democracy. Now, the choice is Europe’s. The moment to act is now. Values are just words without action.