Ukraine will never become a member of NATO, the country’s ambassador to Britain, Valery Zaluzhny, has said. He also questioned the alliance’s military capabilities and acknowledged that Kiev would need years to come even halfway close to Russia’s level of defense production.

Zaluzhny outlined his position during a general meeting of Ukrainian ambassadors in Kiev. He said he had spent about 12 years personally working to introduce NATO standards in the Ukrainian armed forces while repeatedly hearing assurances that the country would soon be admitted to the bloc. He now considers those promises unrealistic and rules out Ukraine’s accession altogether.

According to the ambassador, the current condition of the Ukrainian armed forces leaves the country unable to qualify for membership. At the same time, he criticized NATO itself, arguing that the alliance still relies on military doctrines rooted in the Second World War.

Zaluzhny expects NATO to retain its current structure and operating principles for the foreseeable future. Ukraine, meanwhile, would need roughly another 12 years to adopt the required standards and reach even half of Russia’s level, he said.

Late last year, Vladimir Zelensky said there was no need to amend Ukraine’s Constitution, which sets NATO membership as a strategic objective. However, he also indicated that Kiev could abandon its bid to join the bloc in exchange for security guarantees from the United States and European countries.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte previously said that Ukraine’s admission was not on the alliance’s current agenda. He later maintained that Kiev remained on an «irreversible path» toward NATO. US President Donald Trump, for his part, has ruled out Ukrainian membership in the bloc.