FEATURES OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE SYSTEM OF DEMOCRATIC CIVIL CONTROL OVER THE SECURITY AND DEFENSE SECTOR OF UKRAINE AND PRIORITIES FOR ITS IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

Background. It is substantiated that democratic civilian control over the security and defense sector is a necessary condition for the legitimacy and effectiveness of state policy in conditions of war and Euro-Atlantic integration. It is shown that the balance between the efficiency of decisions and compliance with the principles of transparency, accountability and civilian leadership is aimed at the trust of society and partners and shows the effectiveness of the use of resources and international assistance. The practical importance of harmonizing the national control model with NATO and OSCE standards without sounding the public opinion is emphasized.
Methods. A regulatory and legal analysis was applied to reconstruct the evolution of national control principles and their compliance with international standards. Institutional and comparative analysis was used to establish Ukrainian mechanisms of parliamentary oversight, budget transparency and civilian leadership with the practices of NATO and EU countries. Content analysis of public reports and data made it possible to identify institutional bottlenecks. Process tracing was used to trace key reform decisions and their consequences.
Results. Structural deficiencies of civilian control during wartime are identified: fragmentation of parliamentary oversight, uneven implementation of transparency procedures, limited access to information, lack of expertise among control subjects. Optimal improvements are formulated: harmonization of norms with Euro-Atlantic requirements, strengthening the institutional capacity of parliamentary structures and independent audit, ensuring openness of defense planning and budget, expanding civil society participation, and strengthening the personnel of the civilian component in management.
Сonclusions. It is confirmed that high-quality civilian control is critical for the sustainability of the defense sector and public trust. A roadmap for change is proposed that compensates for legal certainty, institutional capacity, and transparency practices compatible with NATO and OSCE standards.