Ukraine, Russia, and the Moral Dimension of War
In this interview on Amanpour & Company, Elliot Ackerman joins Walter Isaacson to discuss the war in Ukraine, Russia’s evolving military tactics, and the strategic importance of morale, leadership, and political resolve during modern conflict.
Drawing on time recently spent in Kyiv as well as his background as a Marine Corps veteran and war correspondent, Ackerman examines how Ukraine’s defense against Russia reflects broader lessons about asymmetric warfare, national cohesion, and the political psychology of combat.
Russia’s Strategy and Ukraine’s Resistance
The conversation explores how Russia adapted its military approach following the early failures of the invasion, shifting toward attritional warfare and increased pressure on civilian infrastructure while attempting to erode Ukrainian political will.
Ackerman argues that Ukraine’s advantage extends beyond military hardware, emphasizing the importance of morale, public resolve, decentralized leadership, and national identity in determining the trajectory of war.
The interview also examines how democratic societies sustain resistance under prolonged pressure and how wars are often shaped as much by psychology and legitimacy as by battlefield tactics alone.
War, Geopolitics, and Strategic Competition
Beyond the battlefield itself, the discussion addresses NATO, Western support for Ukraine, Russia’s geopolitical objectives, and the broader implications of the war for the international order.
Ackerman situates the conflict within a larger era of renewed great-power competition, strategic instability, and evolving military doctrine shaped by technology, information warfare, and political fragmentation.
Watch the Full Interview
This interview originally aired on Amanpour & Company.