Ukraine Reaffirms NATO Membership Course for 32-Nation Alliance After Zaluzhnyi Remarks Spark Controversy
Updated
Updated · Ukrinform · Aug 5
Ukraine Reaffirms NATO Membership Course for 32-Nation Alliance After Zaluzhnyi Remarks Spark Controversy
1 articles · Updated · Ukrinform · Aug 5
Summary
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi's comments questioning NATO prospects were taken out of context and mainly referred to the Joint Expeditionary Force, not the alliance.
Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Kyiv's policy is unchanged: joining NATO remains Ukraine's official course because no other collective security system matches the Washington Treaty framework.
Zaluzhnyi, now ambassador to the UK, had said he saw no near-term path to NATO membership, criticized the alliance's capabilities, and argued the 10-country JEF could provide an effective security guarantee.
Tykhyi said support is growing for the view that Europe's security architecture is impossible without Ukraine, pointing to this year's NATO summit declaration in Ankara describing Ukraine as a contributor to Euro-Atlantic security.