Key facts
- Ukraine's former top military commander, Valery Zaluzhnyi, said the country has no prospect of joining NATO.
- Zaluzhnyi stated Ukraine does not meet the military standards required for NATO membership.
- He cited outdated World War II doctrines and a need for advanced technology as reasons for Ukraine's unreadiness.
- Ukraine's constitution lists NATO membership as a strategic goal.
- Zaluzhnyi was dismissed as Ukraine's top commander last year.
Valery Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former top military commander and now ambassador to Britain, has stated that Ukraine has no prospect of joining NATO. According to media outlet Evropeiska Pravda, Zaluzhnyi told a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors that the country does not meet the necessary military standards for membership.
"I know NATO really well. For about 12 years, I personally worked on making sure we met NATO standards, and every year I heard tales about how we would join NATO any day now," Zaluzhnyi was quoted as saying. "Unfortunately, we will never actually join."
He explained that joining an organization guided by "World War II doctrines" is impossible with the current development level of Ukraine's armed forces. Zaluzhnyi emphasized the need for technology already in use by NATO member states, such as anti-missile defense and space capabilities.