--- title: "\"We Will Never Join\": Valeriy Zaluzhny on the Collapse of NATO Hopes and Ukraine's New Course" description: "Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Valeriy Zaluzhny stated that Ukraine's accession to NATO is impossible, calling the promises of membership \"fairy tales.\" The diplomat called for a focus on creating a European bloc and joining the JEF coalition. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸš«πŸ‡³πŸ‡¦πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡΄" date: 2026-08-03T23:36:52.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ambassador-zaluzhny-rejection-of-nato-and-new-course-for-ukraine tags: [valeriy-zaluzhny, ukraine, nato, jef, security-alliance] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "We Will Never Join": Valeriy Zaluzhny on the Collapse of NATO Hopes and Ukraine's New Course ![Valeriy Zaluzhny at the Lennart Meri Conference discussing Ukraine's prospects and NATO](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/03/posol-zaluzhnyy-otkaz-ot-nato-i-novyy-kurs-ukrainy/posol-zaluzhnyy-otkaz-ot-nato-i-novyy-kurs-ukrainy-1.webp) Ukrainian diplomacy is facing an unprecedented challenge. Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, made a statement during a discussion on Euro-Atlantic integration in Kyiv that could overturn Kyiv's usual rhetoric. The diplomat, who previously held high-ranking positions in the military sector, stated that the belief in Ukraine's NATO membership is illusory and called for a review of the security strategy. ### The End of Membership Fairy Tales Speaking before high-ranking diplomats, Zaluzhny did not hide his disappointment. He reminded the attendees that he personally worked on adapting Ukraine to Alliance standards for about 12 years. During this time, according to him, Kyiv heard annual promises of imminent accession that were never fulfilled. "I know NATO very well. Every year I heard fairy tales that we would join NATO any day now. Unfortunately, we will never join it!" β€” the general emphasized. This verdict, delivered by someone who should have been the guide for integration, sounds particularly harsh. Zaluzhny pointed out a fundamental gap between the actual state of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Alliance's requirements. In his opinion, it is impossible to join an organization that, according to him, still operates on doctrines from the time of World War II, given the current level of development of the Ukrainian army. ### Technological Gap and Comparison with Russia Zaluzhny's assessment of integration prospects is pessimistic not only morally but also technically. He stated that Ukraine will need at least another 12 years to bring its standards in line with requirements that would allow it to "match half the level of the Russian Federation". At the same time, the diplomat admitted that Ukraine critically needs technologies that are currently available only in NATO countries. This refers to air defense systems, space capabilities, and other key areas. However, according to Zaluzhny, access to technology should not replace the question of membership in an organization that, in his view, is stuck in the past. ### Seeking Alternatives: From NATO to JEF Rejecting illusions regarding the North Atlantic Alliance, Zaluzhny outlined a new development vector. He believes that Ukraine should focus on forming new blocs and alliances that will be relevant in modern realities. In particular, he highlighted two directions: - A European military-security bloc, which, in his opinion, will become the basis for new security guarantees. - The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) coalition. Zaluzhny expressed regret that Ukraine is not actively enough working on joining the JEF. He noted that since 2015, management bodies have been formed within this coalition, although he admitted they are currently "weak" and not fully ready for full cooperation. Nevertheless, he sees this mechanism as a more effective tool for security guarantees than joining NATO. It is worth noting that the JEF currently does not provide for collective security mechanisms and mutual defense obligations similar to Article 5 of the NATO Charter. However, the coalition is actively developing: 10 JEF member countries recently signed a memorandum of intent to create "multinational naval forces," which are intended to complement NATO. Ukraine has already joined the agreement on enhanced partnership with the JEF, which could be the first step in implementing the strategy proposed by Zaluzhny.