On Wednesday in Kyiv, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom spoke to journalists to clarify the controversial statements made earlier this week, which hinted that Ukraine would “never” join the Alliance.
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V. Zaluzhny claimed to be a strong supporter of NATO and reminded that the transition of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to NATO standards was defended as early as 2019, despite fierce criticism.
However, he stated that Russia’s large-scale invasion revealed the Alliance’s shortcomings.
“Science and technology progress moves forward. In 2026, Ukraine used practically all types of weapons – except Tomahawk missiles, nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, and F-35s in NATO service,” said V. Zaluzhny, as quoted by Kyiv Post.
“This resource is already exhausted. Russia managed to find countermeasures to all of that,” said the former commander of the Ukrainian forces.
“Ukraine has outpaced the Alliance’s doctrine, NATO needs modernization”
He stated that the war has changed the Ukrainian army so that it has outpaced the current Alliance doctrine, and this forces NATO to modernize.
“The Ukrainian Armed Forces have reached a completely different level. NATO has no choice but to move to completely new standards,” he said. “Only then will NATO be ready for Ukraine’s membership.”
Calls to create a European security bloc
V. Zaluzhny also reiterated his call to create a “completely new security bloc,” likely focused on Europe, to meet the demands of modern warfare.
The explanation was provoked by statements he made on August 3, which sparked a wave of criticism – at that time, he said that Ukraine would “never join” NATO because the Alliance’s military standards are based on doctrines aiming at World War II.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs later stated that these words were taken out of context and emphasized that Kyiv’s goal to join NATO remains unchanged.
V. Zaluzhny, who served as Ukraine’s Chief of the General Staff from 2021 to 2024, is increasingly mentioned as a possible presidential candidate. According to the portal Ukrainska Pravda, he recently told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he would run if elections were held this fall.
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