Panel Discussions Highlight Sanctions, Defence Technology, and Global Security Challenges

St James’s Foreign Policy Group is proud to note that its Founder & CEO, Aliona Hlivco, recently spoke on two high-level panels examining Ukraine’s defence capabilities, the evolution of modern warfare, and the challenges facing the Western alliance.

The first discussion, organised by the Coalition for Global Prosperity and expertly chaired by Thomas Nurcombe, focused on Ukraine’s defence capacity, prospects for a ceasefire, accountability for war crimes, and the impact of Russian sanctions. Alongside Lincoln Jopp MC MP, Sir John Whittingdale MP, and Megan Gittoes, Aliona Hlivco contributed insights from her extensive experience in Ukrainian policymaking and international security.

A particularly lively exchange with Lincoln Jopp, MP on the issue of seizing Russian assets underscored a crucial point: members of the Defence Committee must act decisively and with conviction amid growing global challenges. As Hlivco noted, “The future of Europe is at stake.”

The second panel, hosted by the Conservative Friends of the Armed Forces, examined the rapid development of defence technology and its direct application on the modern battlefield. Joining James Clark, David Reed MP, and Thomas Nurcombe, Aliona Hlivco highlighted Ukraine’s remarkable advances in defence tech — with the sector growing by 218% since 2022 and combined start-up revenues now exceeding €4 billion.

Despite this progress, Hlivco stressed that Ukraine continues to need Western support. Russia is rapidly narrowing the technological gap, drawing on its historical advantages in electronic warfare and significant resources from partners including Iran and China. China itself is now entering the defence technology race, engaging in seabed operations from the Taiwan Strait to the Baltic Sea.

Hlivco emphasised that to safeguard democratic values and maintain strategic advantage, Western nations must overcome institutional inertia and the self-deterrence that too often constrains their response. “To stay ahead of the game and protect our way of life,” she noted, “we must act with clarity, confidence, and unity.”

These discussions form part of Aliona Hlivco’s ongoing engagement in international security dialogue and reflect St James’s Foreign Policy Group’s commitment to advancing informed debate on the defence and resilience of democratic societies.