The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commented on the controversial statements made by Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valeriy Zaluzhny. Previously, the diplomat stated that Ukraine would never become part of NATO, which sparked a wide public reaction and gave rise to numerous speculations about a change in Kyiv's foreign policy course.
Georgiy Tikhyy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, told journalists from the RBC-Ukraine agency that the ambassador's words were taken out of context. According to the MFA representative, the full quote did not refer to rejecting the Alliance, but rather to the country's participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
Context of the Statement: JEF and the Role of the UK
Tikhyy explained the logic behind Zaluzhny's statement: the United Kingdom is a framework nation and the leader of the JEF. It was within this format that cooperation was discussed, not accession to NATO. The MFA spokesperson separately emphasized that the issue of Ukraine's accession to the Alliance falls under the jurisdiction of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO, not the Embassy in London.
"Ukraine's course towards NATO membership remains unchanged. There is currently no alternative effective system of collective security," stated Georgiy Tikhyy.
The ministry is convinced that NATO membership is the only way to ensure guaranteed security and peace in the Euro-Atlantic space, provided that allies strive for this. Separately, the MFA reminded that the security architecture of Europe is impossible without Ukraine. This is confirmed by the results of the NATO summit in Ankara, where Ukraine was recognized as a "contributor to Euro-Atlantic security".
Criticism of the Alliance and Future Plans
Valeriy Zaluzhny himself, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, made his statements during a general meeting of ambassadors in Kyiv, answering questions about participation in the JEF. However, during the conversation, he did not limit himself to the topic of expeditionary forces and allowed himself harsh criticism of the Alliance itself.
In Zaluzhny's opinion, NATO member states will need at least another 12 years to switch to standards that allow them to reach Russia's level. The diplomat also suggested that in the future, Ukraine could become part of other blocs and alliances, in particular, a military alliance of European countries.
Such an opinion provoked an ambiguous reaction in the Ukrainian expert community. Vladimir Kurennoi, Deputy General Director of RBC-Ukraine, disagreed with Zaluzhny's assertions and dedicated a separate column to analyzing this situation.
