Vojenské Rozhledy

Czech Military Review

Vojenské rozhledy / Czech Military Review Nr. 1/2026, Vol. XXXV. (LXVII.): 72-86 | DOI: 10.3849/2336-2995.35.2026.01.072-086


In the Beginning Was the Word: The Role of Language and Culture in Peace OperationsReviewed - Research

Nadia Gergało-D±bek
Centre for Eastern Europe, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Poland

The article examines proposals for post-war peacekeeping in Ukraine, emphasizing that future missions must integrate linguistic and cultural competence as strategic assets rather than auxiliary skills. Drawing on experiences from NATO and UN operations, it argues that knowledge of the local language markedly improves trust, intelligence gathering, and operational safety. Because Russia’s war is fundamentally an identity-driven, imperial conflict aimed at erasing Ukrainian nationhood, relying on Russian language or Russocentric expertise would reproduce “imperial knowledge” and undermine mission legitimacy. The study contends that only Ukrainian-centered, decolonized preparation – grounded in cooperation with Ukrainian scholars and institutions – can ensure the effectiveness and social acceptance of any stabilization force deployed after the war.

Keywords: Cultural Competence; Language Support; NATO Missions; Peace Operations; Stabilization in Ukraine.

Published: June 30, 2026  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Gergało-D±bek, N. (2026).
In the Beginning Was the Word: The Role of Language and Culture in Peace Operations. Czech Military Review, 107(1), 72-86. doi: 10.3849/2336-2995.35.2026.01.072-086
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Admirał z NATO ucina spekulacje: "Rozmowy s± przedwczesne." 2025, August 23. Interia.pl. https://tinyurl.com/vz36dub6
    2. Askew, Louise. 2019. "Providing Language Support for NATO Operations: Challenges and Solutions." In The Palgrave Handbook of Languages and Conflict, 231-249. Palgrave Macmillan. Go to original source...
    3. Bados, Victor, Jose Martinez-Ferrer, and Len Lavella. 2010. Guidelines for Commanders and Staffs: Operationalization of Culture into Military Operations (Best Practices). Mando de Adiestramiento y Doctrina.
    4. Buzan, Barry, Ole Wæver, and Jaap de Wilde. 1998. Security: A New Framework for Analysis. Lynne Rienner Publishers. Go to original source...
    5. Davies, Norman. 2022, October 2. "A Short History of Language in Ukraine." The Spectator. https://tinyurl.com/36j98984
    6. Emmanuel Macron nie wykluczył, że Europa wy¶le żołnierzy na Ukrainę. 2024, February 27. Rzeczpospolita. https://tinyurl.com/mryvaaj7
    7. Fanon, Franz. 1986. Black Skin, White Masks. Translated by Charles Markmann. Pluto Press. (Original work published 1952)
    8. Gellner, Ernest. 1991. Narody i nacjonalizm. Translated by Tomasz Hołówka. Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.
    9. Gergało-D±bek, Nadia. 2023. "Ukrainian Language as a Symbol of Resistance against the Invasion of the Russian Federation." Wiedza Obronna 285 (4). https://doi.org/10.34752/2023-c285 Go to original source...
    10. Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies. n.d. "Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies." https://www.gcus.org/en/
    11. Gwarancje bezpieczeństwa dla Ukrainy. Donald Trump mówi o "wsparciu powietrznym" USA. 2025, August 20. Rzeczpospolita. https://tinyurl.com/3a7z5ehs
    12. Iwański, Tomasz, and Sławomir Matuszak. 2025. ""Ukrainie sława", ekspertom biada: wyzwania i dylematy analizy ukraińskiej." In Uporz±dkować rzeczywisto¶ć. Poradnik analityczny O¶rodka Studiów Wschodnich, edited by Wojciech Konończuk and Marek Menkiszak, 175-191. O¶rodek Studiów Wschodnich im. Marka Karpia.
    13. Jakie państwa s± gotowe wysłać wojska na Ukrainę? Mówi się nawet o 10 krajach. 2025, August 21. Portal Obronny. https://tinyurl.com/3pjjz8e8
    14. Jarmoszko, Stanisław. 2004. "Tendencje rozwoju współczesnych sił zbrojnych." In Socjologiczne aspekty wojska i obronno¶ci, edited by Jan Zajdzik and Tomasz Iwanek, 7. Wydawnictwo Polskie Przedsiębiorstwo Geodezyjno-Kartograficzne S.A.
    15. Kassymbekova, Botakoz. 2023, January 24. "How Western Scholars Overlooked Russian Imperialism." Al Jazeera. https://tinyurl.com/36jyvazf
    16. Kelly, Michael. 2011. "Issues in Institutional Language Policy: Lessons Learned from Peacekeeping in Bosnia-Herzegovina." European Journal of Language Policy 3 (1): 61-80. Go to original source...
    17. Kozerawski, Dariusz S. 2024. "Polski kontyngent wojskowo-cywilny w międzynarodowej operacji wsparcia pokoju SFOR w Bo¶ni i Hercegowinie." Problemy Techniki Uzbrojenia 168 (1): 43-67. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0054.4793 Go to original source...
    18. Kulyk, Volodymyr. 2014. "Soviet Nationalities Policies and the Discrepancy between Ethnocultural Identification and Language Practice in Ukraine." In The Historical Legacies of Communism in Russia and Eastern Europe, edited by Mark Beissinger and Stephen Kotkin, 202-221. Cambridge University Press. Go to original source...
    19. Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. 2025. Stavlennia do okremykh variantiv movnoi polityky v Ukraini. https://tinyurl.com/5czfe4r4
    20. Language, Cultural Skills Critical to Enhancing Indo-Pacific Interoperability. 2025, April 28. Indo-Pacific Defence Forum. https://tinyurl.com/yruwx62d
    21. Maliei, Antonina. 2023. "Battle for the History." Texty.org.ua. https://tinyurl.com/2kkkd2t5
    22. McFate, Montgomery. 2005, March-April. "Anthropology and Counterinsurgency: The Strange Story of Their Curious Relationship." Military Review.
    23. Mishalova, Olena, Olha Hordiichuk, and Oleh Sokolovskyi. 2024. "Russia's War in Ukraine as a 'War for Identity' and Appropriation of Cultural Tradition." Ethics in Progress 15 (1): 73-94. https://doi.org/10.14746/eip.2024.1.4 Go to original source...
    24. Phillipson, Robert. 1992. Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford University Press.
    25. Pouye, Mamadou, and Ali Maksum. 2024. "Language Skills and Successful Mission of UN Peacekeepers: A Case Study of Acehnese Policewomen." LiNGUA 19 (1): 109-121. Go to original source...
    26. Riabczuk, Mykoła. 2013. "Colonialism in Another Way: On the Applicability of Postcolonial Methodology for the Study of Postcommunist Europe." Porównania 13: 47-59. http://porownania.amu.edu.pl/attachments/article/284/MYKO%C5%81A%20RIABCZUK.pdf Go to original source...
    27. Riabczuk, Mykoła. 2022. Czternasta od końca. Opowie¶ci o współczesnej Ukrainie. Znak.
    28. Said, Edward. 1993. Culture and Imperialism. Knopf.
    29. Schreiber, Hanna. 2013. ¦wiadomo¶ć międzykulturowa: od militaryzacji antropologii do antropologizacji wojska. Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
    30. Smith, Anthony. 2008. The Cultural Foundations of Nations: Hierarchy, Covenant, and Republic. Blackwell Publishing. Go to original source...
    31. Smith-Peter, Susan. 2022, April 1. "What Do Scholars of Russia Owe Ukraine?" Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia. https://tinyurl.com/phrz7sr6
    32. Thompson, Ewa. 2000. Trubadurzy imperium. Literatura rosyjska i kolonializm. Translated by Anna Sierszulska. Universitas.
    33. Thompson, Ewa. 2015. "Slavic but Not Russian: Invisible and Mute." Porównania 16: 9-18. Go to original source...
    34. Van Dijk, Andrea, and Joseph Soeters. 2007. "Language Matters in the Military." In Armed Forces and Conflict Resolution: Sociological Perspectives, 303-325. Emerald. Go to original source...
    35. Vokál, Vladimir. n.d. "Černochová připustila vyslání vojáků na Ukrajinu. Metnar to povaľuje za hazard." Idnes.cz.
    36. Wood, Sara. 2007, May 25. "Army Sees Importance of Language, Cultural Sensitivities in Operations." U.S. Army. https://tinyurl.com/5amucmay
    37. Portnykov, Vitalii. 2025, September 8. "Koly z'iavliat'sia umovy dlia zakinchenni͡a viiny." NV.ua. https://tinyurl.com/w94yx8s3
    38. Zelenska, Olena. 2023, February 27. "Ukrainsʹka mova zvuchytʹ u sviti iak mova oporu ta stiikosti..." Vinnytsʹka oblasna viĭsʹkova administratsiia. https://tinyurl.com/fx66c99b
    39. Tairova-Iakovleva, Tetiana. 2025, April 23. "Yak protydiiaty rosiisʹkomu hhrand-naratyvu? (Ch. 1/2)." YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hDiHFSP7Es
    40. 26 Nations Vow to Give Ukraine Postwar Security Guarantees, Macron Says. 2025, September 4. Reuters. https://tinyurl.com/mvut7m2h
    41. UK to Lead Headquarters of Multinational Force Ukraine. 2025, September 3. UK Defence Journal. https://tinyurl.com/4xm42s9b
    42. UN's Baerbock Says Blue Helmets Could Help Safeguard Ceasefire in Postwar Ukraine. 2025, September 14. Deutsche Welle. https://tinyurl.com/5ahpf226

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content