Horbulin names prerequisite for security guarantees before Ukraine gains NATO membership

Ukraine should rely on military and technical cooperation with NATO countries to ensure a technological advantage over Russia in the future.

This opinion was expressed in an interview with Ukrinform by Volodymyr Horbulin, First Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Security Studies Institute.

When asked how to achieve a balanced solution that meets the objectives of Ukraine, which is seeking a "quick victory," and its Western partners, who are seeking "escalation risk management," the academician answered: “Definitely, through the potential of military-technical cooperation.”

“This is not only a powerful and massive integration of Ukraine's defense industry into the Euro-Atlantic defense industrial space, but also the acquisition of the necessary technologies that will provide a technological advantage for the future. In addition, the influx of Western businesses in Ukraine will enable us to transition to modern Western and Ukrainian-Western equipment. This will also serve as a foundation for security guarantees even before Ukraine attains full NATO membership,” Horbulin said.

He highlighted that the West will prioritize the protection of its businesses currently operating in Ukraine. Once this has been secured, it will be possible to engage in meaningful discussions about the potential deployment of NATO military bases or individual countries' military assets in Ukraine. The Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences does not rule out the creation of sub-regional military and political associations, for example, between Ukraine, Poland, Britain, and the Baltic states.

“To a certain extent, military and technical cooperation is also Ukraine's path to long-term security and economic growth, largely due to the latest defense technologies. In addition, it is also an opportunity to displace Russia from a number of regional arms markets, which will certainly be part of a long-term technological deterrence,” the academician noted.

Horbulin also supports the creation of a single center for technology development, in accordance with President Volodymyr Zelensky's decree. “170 types of drones in the Armed Forces is both an achievement and a challenge in terms of resource dispersion. We need to unify and come up with at least two or three dozen types within a few years. This is a common challenge across many areas of weapons development and production," he said.

As Ukrinform reported, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during the Defense Industries Forum that the government had provided 65% more funds for the purchase of weapons and military equipment in the 2025 draft state budget compared to the current year.