Zaluzhnyi says Ukraine cannot join NATO

Ukraine's former top military commander and current ambassador to Britain, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, stated on August 3 that Ukraine has no prospect of joining NATO, an aspiration enshrined in its constitution. Speaking at a meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors, as quoted by Evropeiska Pravda, Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine does not meet NATO's military standards and that it is impossible to join an organization guided by World War II doctrines given the current development level of the Ukraine — Armed Forces of Ukraine. He emphasized the need for advanced technology already in use by NATO members, including anti-missile defense and space capabilities. Zaluzhnyi, who was dismissed as top commander in 2024 over differences with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on war strategy, also noted that Ukraine would not be welcomed by all NATO members. Russia has rejected any notion of Ukrainian NATO membership. The statement comes amid the ongoing war with Russia, now in its fifth year, and follows recent dismissals of Ukraine's defense minister and Zaluzhnyi's successor.