The World’s Strongest Cyber Resilience is in Ukraine — America Came to Learn from You, Admiral Michael Rogers at the Opening of IT Arena 2026 in Lviv

On August 25, during the opening of IT Arena 2026 in Lviv, Admiral Michael S. Rogers participated in a fireside chat titled Cyber War: How to Win. The discussion focused on modern cyber warfare, cyber resilience, and the role of technology in combat operations. The event was moderated by Ieva Ilves, a cyber security and digital policy advisor to Ukraine and Latvia.

Admiral Rogers emphasized that he came to Ukraine to learn from the country's experience, rather than to share American methods. He noted that Ukraine's involvement of its entire society in the struggle against Russian aggression makes it a unique case. He highlighted the world's greatest cyber resilience as being in Ukraine, and stressed that the model of interaction between government, private sector and network operators that Ukraine has established is one that other countries can adopt.

Rogers discussed the evolution of cyber defense over the past decade, noting that the previous approach of building high walls and barriers to keep the enemy out is no longer sufficient. He emphasized the importance of cyber resilience, which is the ability to minimize the effectiveness of an adversary's penetration while maintaining the network owner's ability to continue its operation.

Rogers advised that the question is not just about keeping the adversary out, but about what to do after penetration, including monitoring, limiting adversary movement between systems, protecting critical data, and rapid recovery.

He also spoke about the role of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, emphasizing that AI will become a tool for both aggressors and defenders. However, Rogers noted that today, attackers are using AI more aggressively. He pointed out that developers should hand over AI models for testing not just to cybersecurity companies and government structures, but also to operators of critical infrastructure, to verify how these technologies can work directly in day-to-day protection of critical infrastructure.

Rogers commented on calls to slow down the development of artificial intelligence and strengthen government regulation, noting a paradox in the tech community where technical developers themselves call for government involvement. He stressed that while the world cannot stop AI development, it is important to strike a balance between protecting citizens and not abandoning opportunities for innovation and creating advantage.

Rogers concluded by stating that offensive cyber operations will become an integral part of future wars, and that military, intelligence structures, and others should all play a role in carrying out such operations.