Ukrainsk försvarsvilja : Tydlighet och balans mellan mål och medel

Sammanfattning

In modern warfare it is more common for a larger state to attack a smaller one. But how come the smaller states are having such high willingness to defend? That is the bigger research problem that this study is going to explore. The aim for this study is to explain how the willingness to defend in Ukraine has become lower in 2025 despite significant success in the war, while using 2022 as a reference of showing the clarity and balance between political goals and military means. Ukraine have had a high willingness to defend their country from Russia which are a case of the bigger research problem. Previous research has identified varied factors that can explain the willingness to defend. This research has focused on two factors being the political ends and military means. The question it came to ask was: How can the clarity and balance between political goals and military means explain the willingness to defend during 2025 in Ukraine? To answer this question, the research is using a qualitative comparative case study with the purpose the explain the willingness to defend. The findings indicate that the willingness to defend their country decreased during 2025 by 11 percentage points compared to 2022. However, the conclusions are that the decline comes from an imbalance between the political ends and the military means. More specifically from the political ends not being as clarity and well communicated during 2025 compared to the political ends set up during 2022. Like said this affected the willingness to defend in Ukraine. With these conclusions we have a bigger understanding about why smaller states have such high willingness to defend.