Ukraine’s envoy to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief, Valery Zaluzhny
Photo : AP
Ukraine‘s former Commander-in-Chief, Valery Zaluzhny, has claimed that the direct involvement of Russia‘s autocratic allies in its war against Ukraine means that World War 3 has already started.
Speaking at the Ukrainska Pravda UP100 award ceremony, Politico quoted Zaluzhny, who is now Ukraine’s envoy to the United Kingdom, as saying, “I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun.” He pointed to the involvement of foreign forces in the conflict, stating, “Because in 2024, Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine. Let’s be honest. Already in Ukraine, the Iranian ‘Shahedis’ are killing civilians absolutely openly, without any shame.”
Zaluzhny also noted the increasing flow of foreign weapons into Ukraine, adding, “North Korean and Chinese weapons are flying into Ukraine.” His remarks underscore the expanding international dimensions of the conflict, with military support from Russia’s allies escalating the scale of the war.
In his address, Zaluzhny urged Ukraine’s allies to reconsider their position, warning that the situation could still be contained within Ukraine’s borders if decisive action is taken. “It is still possible to stop it here, on the territory of Ukraine. But for some reason our partners do not want to understand this,” he said. “It is obvious that Ukraine already has too many enemies. Ukraine will survive with technology, but it is not clear whether it can win this battle alone.”
Zaluzhny’s comments reflect his increasingly bleak outlook on the war, which he has consistently voiced in recent months. Last year, in an essay for The Economist, Zaluzhny compared the conflict to a stalemate similar to World War I, a comparison that angered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Tensions between the two leaders over the direction of the war led to Zaluzhny’s dismissal as military commander in February 2024. His growing popularity had also made him a potential political rival to Zelenskyy.
