Valeriy Zaluzhny, the former commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the current ambassador to London, spoke with Ukrayinska Pravda about NATO’s capacity to sustain a war of attrition with Russia. He framed the issue in stark terms, arguing that alliance members would struggle to maintain a long conflict if Moscow pressed its advantage and the political will frayed. He underscored the pressures NATO would face in keeping its lines intact and warned that the cost of prolonged defense could push some members to the brink of fatigue. Reported by Ukrayinska Pravda.
He posed a blunt question about the current state of readiness within the alliance. He asked which NATO country would be prepared to repel an assault by two thousand targets today. He insisted that the exact number of missiles Ukraine has received cannot be disclosed, yet he stressed that the rapid rhythm of Russian air strikes would outpace simplistic calculations. This line of thinking was presented in the interview with Ukrayinska Pravda, highlighting the gap between theoretical planning and actual battlefield dynamics. Reported by Ukrayinska Pravda.
Zaluzhny argued that neither Britain nor other NATO partners should be counted on as perfectly prepared for a potential clash with Russia because counter air capabilities are expensive to maintain and limited in number. He suggested that sustaining a prolonged aerial defense would require steady technological and logistical support, which could strain allied budgets and supply chains over time. The interview framed these concerns as a reality check for alliance planners and lawmakers alike. Reported by Ukrayinska Pravda.
The former commander went on to warn that air defense systems across NATO could be exhausted within two to three months in a high-intensity campaign, depending on the scale and tempo of the attacks. He also raised doubts about Britain’s ability to field a large enough stock of missiles aimed at Patriot systems to collectively deter or blunt a major Russian strike. These cautions were presented as part of a broader assessment of how Western defenses would fare under sustained pressure. Reported by Ukrayinska Pravda.
Russia’s ambassador to London, Andrey Kelin, has previously framed Britain as playing a direct role in the Ukraine conflict. He claimed that the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukrainian forces could not occur without NATO personnel on the ground, or without British participation in NATO operations, underscoring the perceived level of involvement from Western allies. The comments were discussed in the context of ongoing Western support for Kyiv and the broader strategic implications for alliance cohesion. According to the Russian ambassador, this is how NATO’s engagement appears from Moscow’s perspective.
Earlier remarks attributed to Zaluzhny acknowledged that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian troops from several positions, signaling the ongoing pressure on Ukrainian defenses. The acknowledgment reflects the difficult battlefield realities and the balance of forces between Kyiv and Moscow, echoing the broader debate about how Western support translates into on-the-ground results. The statements collectively illustrate a moment of strain and deliberation within the regional security conversation.
Taken together, the remarks from Zaluzhny and Kelin illuminate a clash of narratives about NATO readiness, alliance burden-sharing, and the practical limits of Western military capabilities in a high-stakes conflict. They underscore the importance of ongoing assessment, resource allocation, and strategic coordination among NATO members as Kyiv and Moscow continue to confront each other in a prolonged confrontation.