Former commander-in-chief Zaluzhnyi delivers his first public speech. Key takeaways

Source: Ukrainska Pravda

On October 17, Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief Valeryi Zaluzhnyi delivered a speech at Chatham House in his first public appearance after he became Ukraine’s envoy to the UK.

Here are the key takeaway from his speech:

Democracy vs. Autocracy

Zaluzhnyi spoke the stark contrast between democracies and autocracies. While Ukraine is fighting for its independence and future as part of the democratic world, autocratic regimes like Russia seek to undermine such aspirations. The goal of Russia, according to Zaluzhnyi, is to erase Ukraine as a nation, as evidenced by atrocities like those in Bucha and Hostomel. He made it clear that peaceful coexistence with Russia now appears impossible, and the end to the war can hardly promise security in the upcoming years

The Causes of the War

Zaluzhnyi argued tha tthe West’s failure to uphold global security is one the reasons of the war in Ukraine. Russia exploited the West’s weaknesses when it failed to respond to the invasion of Georgia in 2008 and aggression against Ukraine in 2014, arguing Putin’s nuclear threats are sowing fear making Western politicians reluctant to escalate things.

Global Security and Geopolitics

Zaluzhnyi warned about Russia’s growing ties with the countries like China, North Korea, and Iran. He also raised concerns about the BRICS alliance arguing that the timid response of the Western countries is weakening global security.

Vision of Victory

Zaluzhnyi said Ukraine’s path to victory in the war against Russia must be based on three core principles:

Security: Ukraine must feel secure from future aggression for the next 100 years, which can be achieved through NATO membership or a defense model akin to Israel’s.
Development: Ukraine needs an environment conducive to long-term economic development, but this depends on investors’ confidence that future wars won’t break out.
Peace at Home: Every Ukrainian should be able to live in peace and feel at home in their country.

Zaluzhnyi said that Ukraine’s fight is a testament to its desire to live as part of the civilized world, and the West needs to recalibre its its approach to help secure a long-term global stability.