Krystyna Kazakova22:55, 03.08.26

Zaluzhny believes that NATO will remain in its current form and will spend the next 12 years, just like Ukraine, on the path to standards.

Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Valeriy Zaluzhny spoke about the future of Euro-Atlantic integration during a meeting of ambassadors in Kyiv, writes  Rzeczpospolita .

The publication reported that Zaluzhny was asked to comment on Ukraine’s participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), but he began his speech with the issue of NATO membership.

“I know NATO very well. For about 12 years, I have personally worked to ensure that we adopt the Alliance’s standards, and every year I heard that we are close to joining NATO. Unfortunately, we will never join it,” said the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Zaluzhny criticized NATO

The former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed that one of the obstacles on Ukraine’s path to NATO is the current model of the organization’s functioning, which, in his opinion, does not correspond to the realities of modern warfare.

The publication added that, according to Zaluzhny, it is difficult to join a structure that is still based on decisions dating back to World War II, while the Ukrainian armed forces have gained experience in waging a modern armed conflict.

In addition, he criticized the Alliance’s military capabilities, despite the potential of its largest members, in particular the United States and Great Britain.

“Most likely, NATO will remain in its current form and spend the next 12 years, just like Ukraine, on the path to the standards necessary to reach at least half the level of the Russian Federation,” Zaluzhnyy said.

At the same time, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasized that Ukraine needs technologies that NATO countries currently possess, in particular in the field of missile defense, space capabilities, and advanced military systems.

(C)UNIAN 2026