Valerii Zaluzhnyi: Without political will, it is impossible to achieve results in the war
The former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and now Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, stated that the lack of a formed political goal could hinder Ukraine’s military efforts at the current stage of the conflict with Russia.
In his column on LIGA.net, Zaluzhnyi emphasized the importance of a clear political goal for the war, which provides answers to numerous strategic and tactical questions. He noted that, according to Clausewitz’s theory, success in war is based not only on military plans but also on political governance and public support.
Zaluzhnyi believes that public support is critically important for successful warfare, emphasizing that it depends on society’s awareness and its ability to distinguish “our” and “foreign” information. Without a political goal, as the former Commander-in-Chief noted, all military plans risk being unfulfilled due to the lack of political will.
Moreover, he stated that Ukraine’s political goal is to prevent future aggression from Russia and suggested that the war may end without a clear victory for either side. According to Zaluzhnyi, the development of technologies may lead to a new level of security, and the need for protection may arise not only for Ukraine but also for Russia.
Zaluzhnyi noted that Russia had been preparing for a full-scale invasion since 2019, deploying troops along the borders, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine met with a significant resource shortage.
| Topic | Main Points |
|---|---|
| Political goal of the war | Necessary for successful actions, ensures coordination of efforts |
| Public support | Critically important, depends on awareness |
| Technology and security | Possible new level of security in the future |
| Russia’s military preparedness | Since 2019 strategic deployment of forces |
