School of War Ep 233: Mick Ryan on the Ukraine War’s Urgent Lessons
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Sep 23, 2025 Mick Ryan, a retired Major General of the Australian Army and a Senior Fellow for Military Studies at the Lowy Institute, shares his insights on translating lessons from the Ukraine war to the Pacific theatre. He discusses the crucial role of ground forces and the complexities of Australia's defense posture amidst rising Chinese influence. Ryan emphasizes the importance of partnerships over traditional alliances and critiques the current defense budget, advocating for increased spending to meet emerging threats. His analysis provides a sobering look at modern warfare and national resolve.
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Ukraine Is Not The Universal Template
- Ukraine is not the universal future of war; its trends will influence other theatres but not define them.
- Translate lessons by examining applicability to different geography and political contexts.
Ground Forces Still Matter
- Ground forces remain essential because politics and people reside on land, not sea lanes.
- Joint integration across air, land, sea, space and cyber is required for future Pacific conflicts.
A Mesh, Not NATO
- The Pacific lacks NATO-like standardization but has a mesh of partnerships and exercises increasing interoperability.
- Regional states retain more agency, so deterrence relies on diverse bilateral and multilateral ties.
