Call for Papers (CfP): Total Defence Ukraine – Ellisiv Forum 26
Special Issue of Necesse
- Paper submission deadline: 1 September 2026
- Conference location: Norway
- Co‑hosted by the National Defence University of Ukraine
- Point of contact: Jostein Mattingsdal jomattingsdal@mil.no
- Submission opens 27 February
The Norwegian Defence University College (NDUC), in partnership with the National Defence University of Ukraine, invites submissions for a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Necesse associated with the international conference Total Defence Ukraine – Ellisiv Forum 26 (TDUKE26). Held in Norway in late autumn 2026, the conference brings together military leaders, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to advance understanding of total defence and Ukraine’s ongoing fight for sovereignty and resilience.
Aligned with Operation Ellisiv, this special issue aims to strengthen scholarly and practical dialogue on defence cooperation, capability development, and whole‑of‑society resilience.
Theme of the Special Issue
Total Defence – Developing Frameworks, Capabilities, and Resilience
We welcome empirical, theoretical, policy‑oriented, and practice‑based contributions addressing total defence in the context of Ukraine’s ongoing war. Submissions may focus on strategic, operational, societal, or comparative perspectives.
Suggested Topics
- Ongoing Efforts of Ukraine’s Armed Forces and Their Allies
- Military Capability Enhancement
- Interoperability with NATO
- Hybrid Warfare and Societal Resilience
- Total Defence as Theory and Practice
Manuscripts from academia, military institutions, practitioners, and students are encouraged. Submission Formats:
- Peer‑reviewed research articles
- Semi‑scientific / professional articles (non‑peer‑reviewed)
- Book reviews
Submission Requirements
Authors must submit:
- Full manuscript, prepared in accordance with Necesse author guidelines
- Working title
- A 200‑word abstract
- Five keywords
Manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under review or consideration by any other journal, volume, or publisher at the time of submission.
Authors are responsible for securing any required permissions for figures, tables, or copyrighted materials.
Full author guidelines can be found on the Necesse journal homepage: Necesse - Norwegian Armed Forces)
Important Dates
- Submission deadline: 1 September 2026
- Review notifications: October–November 2026
- Special issue publication (expected): Spring 2027
About TDUKE26
Total Defence Ukraine – Ellisiv Forum 26 is an international conference held in Norway and co‑hosted by the Norwegian Defence University College and the National Defence University of Ukraine. The forum strengthens collaboration across governments, academia, and defence institutions to identify innovative approaches for supporting Ukraine’s defence and building resilient societies in an era of hybrid and conventional threats.
More about
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What is Ellisiv?
The Nansen Programme is Norway’s long-term framework for supporting Ukraine in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Launched in 2023, the programme was initially set at NOK 75 billion over five years (2023–2027). Towards the end of 2024, the Norwegian government decided to extend the programme until 2030. With this extension, the total allocation rose to NOK 205 billion, making it the largest and longest-lasting aid commitment in the history of Norway.
The programme combines military and humanitarian assistance with reconstruction support, ensuring both immediate and long-term help for Ukraine.
The financial framework provided by the Nansen Programme has given the Norwegian Armed Forces a solid foundation for planning. As a result, the Norwegian Armed Forces have developed a five-year plan and consolidated their efforts under Operation Ellisiv, named after a Ukrainian princess who married King Harald Hardråde.
The Norwegian defence sector’s support for Ukraine is based on Ukraine’s needs and what the Norwegian Armed Forces can provide, in close coordination with allies and partners.
The Norwegian Armed Forces have donated their own equipment to Ukraine and participate in several international initiatives that provide equipment, exercises, and training. Norwegian military support forms part of the overarching Nansen Programme and is organised into five main areas:
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Donation of equipment from the defence sector
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Donation of equipment procured through international cooperation and mechanisms
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Donation of equipment purchased from industry
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Training and education of Ukrainian personnel
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Donation or financing of production licences for Norwegian defence technology
The Norwegian Defence University College is involved in Operation Ellisiv through education, leadership and research on military operations with its Ukrainian partners at the National Defence University of Ukraine.
In this work, the Norwegian Defence University College sees a clear need for a forum where experiences from Ukraine are discussed, analysed and shared, in order to strengthen our defence capability and better prepare us for future security challenges. Therefore, we are organising this conference to promote dialogue and cooperation.
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Necesse publishes articles that illuminate issues relevant to naval military operational activity.
The series publishes popular science and academic articles, and is approved as an interdisciplinary academic journal at level 1 in the Norwegian publication system.
It is in an "open access" format, where all editions can be retrieved from the Norwegian Research Information Repository (NVA). All academic articles are also searchable there and available as PDF documents.
Editorial Board
Editor: Åse Gilje Østensen, Norwegian Defence University College
Members: Anders Tarlebø Løvik and Jostein Mattingsdal, Norwegian Defence University College
