Sarah Whitmore2; Bettina Renz1; 1 The University of Nottingham, UK; 2 Oxford Brookes University, UK
Discussion
This study considers the problematic of conducting military reforms whilst fighting a war and is based on in-depth interviews with parliamentarians, local experts and international partners. It focuses on the 2014-22 period and finds that although war had a catalysing effect on military reforms in Ukraine, this did not extend to Democratic Civilian Control (DCC) where the high external threat generated fears about Russian agents in civilian institutions, further degrading the inter-institutional trust necessary for DCC to function and enhance military effectiveness and efficiency. Significant legislative reforms were enacted under Zelensky, but war strengthened arguments about the risks of greater civilian oversight and assisted the maintenance of existing patronal relations by inhibiting the adoption of more radical reforms and hindering the implementation of those that were adopted. The research unpicks the complex reform dynamics and divergent understandings of the underlying principles and benefits of reform.
