Lessons in Defence Reform at the Conservative Party Conference

Speaking at a panel organised by the Coalition for Global Prosperity during the Conservative Party Conference, St James' Foreign Policy Group CEO Aliona Hlivco set out why Western allies must move past self-imposed strategic constraints when responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Alongside Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP, Dr Robert Seely MBE, Jack Lopresti, and Thomas Nurcombe, the discussion examined the structural challenges facing European security, domestic rearmament, and defence acquisition.

A primary focus of Aliona’s address was the misreading of Moscow’s nuclear rhetoric. Fear of vertical escalation has repeatedly held back Western policy, delaying the delivery of crucial military capabilities. She noted that this hesitation amounts to the West’s main form of self-deterrence. Conventional bombardment has already flattened entire Ukrainian cities, causing damage on a scale akin to tactical nuclear strikes, while the threshold for strategic nuclear deployment remains constrained by cold rationales Moscow will not lightly cross. Allowing coercive threats to dictate the pace of military aid has ultimately drawn out the conflict and limited Western strategic options.

The panel also turned to broader continental threats, focusing on the rise in Russian hybrid operations across Europe. Hostile foreign interference , ranging from cyber attacks and sabotage against critical infrastructure to targeted online disinformation, continues to strain domestic resilience. Tackling these tactics demands more than larger budgets; it requires a fundamental rewrite of how Western nations equip their militaries. Panellists reviewed the UK’s rearmament plans, warning that existing procurement pipelines are too rigid and slow for high-intensity warfare. Aliona stressed that the UK and its NATO partners must borrow from Ukraine’s rapid development cycles, cutting red tape around autonomous platforms, electronic warfare tools, and ammunition stockpiles to match the realities of contemporary conflict.