NEC’s Senior Fellow Leo Litra Discusses Tech Sovereignty and the War in Ukraine at ECFR Tech Forum

On February 25-26, 2026, Leo Litra, Senior Policy Fellow at the New Europe Center and Visiting Fellow at the ECFR, participated in the Tech Forum in Turin, organised by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Titled “Europe and Tech Oligarchs: Reclaiming Democracy and Sovereignty in the Digital Age,” the forum examined how technology is reshaping democratic foundations and altering the power dynamics between citizens and major tech entities.

During the panel “Tech Power and the Global Order: Is Europe Already Late?”, Litra addressed the critical intersection of the Russo-Ukrainian war and the advanced technologies Ukraine relies on to repel the invasion. The discussion focused extensively on the battlefield impact of Starlink satellite systems and AI-driven platforms like Palantir and many others.

Litra emphasised the urgent need for both Ukraine and Europe to develop greater indigenous capacities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). He argued that strengthening European sovereignty is essential to ensure nations remain resilient against political shifts in allied capitals. Furthermore, Litra highlighted the unique opportunities the conflict presents for tech development, noting that companies can test the efficiency of new systems in real-time combat scenarios. This, he suggested, is a pathway toward reducing reliance on “tech oligarchs” and achieving greater strategic autonomy.

This visit is funded by the UK government as part of the “Mutual Transformative Power: changing Ukraine through cooperation with wider Europe” project, implemented by the New Europe Center.