Valery Zaluzhnyi says Ukraine will never join NATO
Former Ukrainian army chief Valery Zaluzhnyi, now ambassador to the United Kingdom, told a gathering of Ukrainian ambassadors in Kyiv that Ukraine will never become a NATO member. He said that after about twelve years of working to meet NATO standards he repeatedly heard “fairy‑tale” promises of imminent accession, but the country’s current armed‑forces development and NATO’s reliance on World‑War‑II‑era doctrines make membership impossible. Zaluzhnyi added that Ukraine still needs technologies that NATO states possess, such as missile‑defence and space capabilities, and suggested the country should look to emerging European security structures, citing the Joint Expeditionary Force as an example.
He was dismissed as commander‑in‑chief in 2024 after a clash with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the war strategy, yet remains one of the most trusted public figures in Ukraine, with polls showing roughly 73 % public confidence. Russia has consistently rejected any prospect of Ukrainian NATO accession, and some NATO members are cautious about expanding the alliance.
The remarks underscore a shift in Kyiv’s expectations about NATO integration and may influence both domestic debate and Western diplomatic calculations.
Entities: Kyiv · NATO · Ukraine · United Kingdom · Valery Zaluzhnyi · Volodymyr Zelensky · Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] He is currently Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Zaluzhnyi was dismissed as top commander in 2024 after a dispute with President Volodymyr Zelensky. (multiple articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine will never join NATO. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A June poll showed about 73 % of Ukrainians trust Zaluzhnyi. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] He said Ukraine does not meet NATO’s military standards. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ukraine’s constitution enshrines NATO membership as a strategic goal. (multiple articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Valery Zaluzhnyi is the former commander‑in‑chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] He described NATO as an organization guided by World War II doctrines. (multiple articles)