Zaluzhny: ‘Ukraine Will Never Join NATO’

Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief and current ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valery Zaluzhny, said Ukraine will never join NATO, dismissing the prospect of a future membership. The remarks came during a discussion on Euro-Atlantic integration at a general gathering of ambassadors in Kyiv, European Pravda reported.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Asked to comment on Ukraine’s participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led coalition designed for rapid crisis response in strategically sensitive regions, Zaluzhny instead addressed NATO membership directly: “I know NATO very well. For roughly 12 years I’ve personally worked on mastering NATO standards, and every year I’ve listened to the same fairy tale that we’re about to join.” “Unfortunately, we never will,” Zaluzhny added. According to a survey conducted between May 7 and June 3 by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) Zaluzhny remains Ukraine’s most trusted public figure, with 73% support. Principles built for a different era According to Zaluzhny, the core obstacle is a mismatch between the two militaries. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), he said, have reached a level of development that cannot be incorporated into an alliance still operating on the “doctrines of the Second World War.” He was skeptical about NATO’s capacity to change, saying that the alliance will possibly stay as it is despite the membership of major powers like Britain and the United States. Other Topics of Interest 4 Dead, 15 Wounded as Russia Strikes Dnipropetrovsk Region A child was killed as drones, bombs and artillery struck four districts of Dnipropetrovsk region, damaging civilian infrastructure. In his view, Ukraine would first need to close the gap with member states’ military standards, and even then would only reach roughly half the current strength of Russia’s military forces. However, he also said that Ukraine “needs technologies that are still in NATO countries today” – particularly anti-ballistic systems and additional space capabilities. Looking for security guarantees outside of NATO Rather than NATO, Zaluzhny pointed to other emerging frameworks as more realistic paths to security guarantees, floating what he described as a probable “European security bloc” as one option. According to European Pravda, he also praised Ukraine’s potential in the JEF coalition, noting that the group has built up governing structures since 2015, even if they remain – in his own words – “weak” and not yet fully aligned with Ukraine’s needs. Ukraine’s role in JEF coalition As of Nov. 5, 2025, Ukraine gained a new role in the JEF coalition, becoming the first country outside of the alliance to receive enhanced partner status within the group. JEF, led by ten Northern European countries – the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden – operates outside of NATO structures, with its focus mainly centered on strategically sensitive regions such as the Baltic and North Seas, the Arctic, and the North Atlantic. Ukraine secured its role in the coalition by sharing its frontline experience, particularly in countering hybrid aggression, as well as enhancing air defense, employing drones and conducting long-range strikes. By becoming an “enhanced partner,” Ukraine gained access to intelligence sharing, joint exercises and regional defense planning, marking it another step in the country’s deeper integration into Europe’s security architecture. According to European Pravda, the JEF framework does not currently include a mutual-defense obligation among its members, despite the members signing a memorandum in April to establish a joint naval force, described as complementary to NATO. Comments follow slow progress on EU accession Zaluzhny’s remarks about NATO come as Ukraine continues to pursue a separate track toward EU membership. Kyiv has opened two of the EU’s six accession negotiation clusters this year – Fundamentals in June and External Relations in July – moving its EU bid from political statements into concrete steps and detailed technical talks. However, that process is also facing obstacles. So far, Hungary has twice blocked the screening approval needed to open two additional clusters, pushing the next review to September. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s own reform pace remains far behind Western Balkan countries like Montenegro and Albania. A recent government reshuffle that happened mid-July has also complicated Ukraine’s EU diplomacy, with the country’s permanent representative in Brussels, Vsevolod Chentsov, set to swap roles with Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.