Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Valeriy Zaluzhny explained the position he had articulated regarding the prospects for Ukraine's NATO membership.
According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, during a diplomatic club event in Kyiv, the ambassador was asked to clarify his remarks about NATO made at a meeting of ambassadors. Zaluzhny assured the audience that he is a supporter of the Alliance, but that the bloc must undergo transformation.
The general noted separately that in 2019, he was the leading advocate and architect of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' transition to NATO standards, for which he faced significant criticism.
"Sitting before you is the person who, in 2019, with these hands and this mind, personally drafted the entire reform and amendments to nearly 37 legislative acts aimed at aligning Ukraine's strategic-level command and control system with NATO principles and standards. I've made so many enemies that you can't even imagine. I support NATO membership," the ambassador said.
However, he added, "from a political standpoint, there are many questions about NATO as a bloc that once protected the old world."
"Science and technology are advancing. In 2026, Ukraine used all types of weapons – well, except perhaps Tomahawk missiles, nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers, and F-35 jets, which are in NATO's arsenal – and applied the doctrines for their use. That potential has been exhausted. Russia has found countermeasures to all of it," Zaluzhny said.
Elaborating on his point, he said "NATO is still operating under a doctrine dating back to the end of the Second World War, while we are technologically ahead."
"Scientific and technological progress, combined with the ongoing war, have taken the Armed Forces of Ukraine to an entirely different level. And now NATO has no choice but to adopt completely different standards in order to develop an entirely new doctrine. Only then will NATO be ready for Ukraine's accession. I've already said that we need a completely new military bloc, most likely with a territorial presence in Europe. A completely new one," the general said.
As an example, he again cited the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), which he described as "a rather promising organization from a political standpoint."
Zaluzhny added that he regularly attends NATO command-post exercises held in the UK, as they demonstrate the Alliance's culture and philosophy regarding the conduct of military operations. But this bloc must change to address today's threats.
"Ukraine is at war with Russia without being a member of NATO. Let NATO be honest: are they ready to fight Russia without Ukraine's experience?" Zaluzhny said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the remarks by Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny regarding the prospects of Ukraine's NATO membership had been taken out of context and had gained widespread attention, although the full quote referred primarily to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), not NATO. This was stated by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhy.
"This makes sense, since the UK is a framework nation and a leader of the JEF. As for NATO membership, this issue is handled by the Mission of Ukraine to NATO. To prevent misinterpretation, I will reiterate our long-standing official position: Ukraine's course toward joining the North Atlantic Alliance remains unchanged," Tykhy told reporters on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that, as of now, there is no other effective collective security system besides the one based on the Washington Treaty.
The spokesperson expressed his conviction that there is no alternative to Ukraine's NATO membership if the allies seek to ensure guaranteed security and peace in the Euro-Atlantic region.
As previously reported, the publication European Pravda stated that Zaluzhny does not consider Ukraine's path toward NATO membership to be promising. He made this statement during a discussion on Euro-Atlantic integration at a general meeting of ambassadors in Kyiv. "I know NATO very well. For about 12 years, I personally worked to ensure that we met NATO standards, and every year I heard stories about how we were about to join NATO. Unfortunately, we will never join it!" General Zaluzhny said.
According to the publication, Zaluzhny believes that the obstacle to Ukraine's accession to the Alliance is that "it is impossible to join, given the current level of development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces… an organization that adheres to World War II-era doctrines."
