“If You Desire Peace, Prepare for War”: Former General Zaluzhnyi Speaks in London

Former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi spoke at the The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Land Warfare Conference 2024 in London as Ukraine's ambassador.

During his speech, Zaluzhnyi shared Ukraine's experience in combat and emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and strengthening the coalition of the free world in countering destabilization, aggression, and tyranny.

"Si vis pacem, para bellum" – these words attributed to the ancient Roman historian Cornelius Nepos unfortunately resonate perfectly with democratic society even today, in the 21st century. If you desire peace, prepare for war. Yes, this statement is absolutely correct. I confirm this, having served as Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the entire Ukrainian people, who have truly and painfully internalized this,” former Chief of the General Staff said.

“Is humanity ready to calmly accept the next war in terms of its scale - possibly the Third World War? Addressing the events of the 2022-2024 decade-long war between Ukraine and Russia, it is necessary to honestly tell humanity – what exactly is happening and what humanity must be prepared for. Free and democratic nations and their governments must wake up and contemplate: how to protect their citizens and their countries.”

Zaluzhnyi emphasized that readiness for war should be viewed as a comprehensive set of measures encompassing not only purely military aspects but all spheres of state activity.

He named societal readiness as the most complex and crucial component, based on honest and transparent communication between the government and the people.

Additionally, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom noted that war should not be seen as part of internal political processes but as the maximum concentration of efforts for survival.

“I am convinced that the war for freedom in one country should become a policy for the survival of democracy in the rest of the free countries. Adhering to yesterday's rules of war will not lead to success today or tomorrow. It is the realization of this that can save many lives. We must start combating the consequences of the new rules of war." This quote is taken by me from retired American General Stanley McChrystal.

And further, he had these words: "Otherwise, we will all be far behind." But I would say more categorically: otherwise, we will all perish,” Zaluzhnyi concluded.

In May 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree dismissing former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi from military service and appointed him as the Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

On July 11, Zaluzhnyi presented his credentials and officially commenced his duties as Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi served in various positions within the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 1997 and served as a Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces from 2021 to 2024. He became a member of the National Security and Defense Council on July 28, 2021. On May 23, 2022, Zaluzhnyi was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of 2022.