"Putin has already started World War III." Zelenskyy on Truce, Elections, and Concessions to Russia

Photo: AP Photo / Markus Schreiber

During a meeting in Kyiv with a BBC correspondent, he stated that Ukraine is not losing the war at all and will end it with its victory. He strongly opposes satisfying the demands of Vladimir Putin, who named the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from strategically important areas that Russia could not capture, despite the deaths of tens of thousands of its soldiers, as the price for a truce.

Zelenskyy said that Putin has already started World War III. And the only way to respond to this is to intensify military and economic pressure to force him to retreat.

"I believe Putin has already started it. The question is how much territory he can seize," says Zelenskyy. "And the question is how to stop him. Not so that Russia doesn't win. Russia wants to bring its world and change the lives people like."

And how does the president respond to demands to give up 20% of Donbas, which is under Ukraine's control (a number of settlements that Ukrainians call "fortress cities"), as well as other parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions? Can this be called a reasonable demand if a ceasefire agreement is reached as a result, I asked?

"I just view it differently. I don't see it simply as land, or only as land. I see it this way: to withdraw means to weaken our positions, to abandon hundreds of thousands of our people who are there. That's how I see it. To divide our society with this withdrawal," Zelenskyy answered.

— But perhaps this is an acceptable price if it satisfies President Putin? Do you think this will be enough for him?

"I believe that for Putin—he needs this pause," says Zelenskyy. "He also needs this pause. It's true, whatever he says, it's true. And if he recovers... Our European partners say it will take three to five years. In my opinion, he will be able to recover in a couple of years, no more. So where will he go next? We don't know. But the fact that he will want to continue is a fact."

"Are we losing? Of course not!"

The conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy took place in one of the buildings in a well-guarded government quarter in the center of Kyiv. During the interview, he mostly spoke in Ukrainian.

Zelenskyy's security approaches its duties very diligently—and this alone makes one realize the great burden of responsibility on the president. An interview with any head of state requires thorough checks, but I have rarely encountered such procedures as were necessary to enter the presidential compound in Kyiv.

For a warring country, this is not surprising — especially since Russia has already tried to organize an assassination attempt on the president.

Despite all this, Zelenskyy, who started his career as an actor, won the Ukrainian version of "Dancing with the Stars" in 2006 and played the role of a man who unexpectedly became president of Ukraine, maintains extraordinary resilience.

Before recent peace talks in Geneva, US President Donald Trump stated: "Ukraine better get to the negotiating table quickly." As is his habit, he continues to put more pressure on Ukraine than on Russia.

Last summer, Western diplomats noted that Trump agrees with Putin that territorial concessions by Ukraine are a key condition for a ceasefire that Trump wants to secure, ideally by this summer.

Many analysts – and not only in the White House – also believe that Ukraine cannot win this war. And if it does not make concessions to Moscow, it will suffer defeat.

The correspondent asked Zelenskyy if he thought such an opinion from Trump and others was fair.

"And where are you now?" Zelenskyy asked a counter-question. "You are in Kyiv today, in the capital of our homeland. I am very grateful for that. Are we losing? Of course not! Because we are fighting for the independence of Ukraine."

How does Zelenskyy understand victory?

In the past, Zelenskyy has repeatedly said that Ukraine can win. But what would such a victory look like?

He replied that it, of course, means the return of Ukrainians to normal life and an end to the killing of people. But the broader understanding of victory, which the president speaks of, consists in eliminating the global threat, according to him, emanating from Putin.

"Today, to stop Putin, to prevent him from occupying Ukraine, is a victory for peace."

— But you're not claiming that victory means the return of all territories?

"But we will do that anyway," Zelenskyy replied. "It's absolutely clear, a matter of time. If we do it today, it means losing a large number of people, millions of people, because that army is large. We understand the cost of these steps."

"And we also don't have the appropriate amount of weapons. This no longer depends only on us: it depends on partners. As of today, we don't have it. But the return to the fair borders of 1991, of course, is... This is not even a victory. This is a victory of justice. A victory for Ukraine."

A year ago, Zelenskyy visited the White House and received a reception there that one high-ranking Western diplomat described to me as a pre-planned "diplomatic banditry" by Donald Trump and his vice president, J.D. Vance.

Their dispute, which unfolded before the eyes of global media, was seen by millions of people worldwide.

Trump, who had just taken office for the second time, was sending the strongest possible signal: the days of Joe Biden, when Zelenskyy and Ukraine could count on full US support, were over.

The new administration then "took note" of NATO members. Vance had just shattered Western European illusions about the strength of the transatlantic alliance.

After this, Zelenskyy avoided public disagreements with Trump — reportedly, including on the advice of British national security advisor Jonathan Powell.

The US president almost completely stopped sending military aid to Kyiv. But Washington still provides vital intelligence, and European countries spend billions buying American weapons for Ukraine.

Elections and trust in Trump

The journalist asked the Ukrainian president about Trump's many contradictory statements, reminding him that among his false claims are accusations against Zelenskyy of being a dictator who started the war (exactly the same claims were made by Vladimir Putin).

In response, Zelenskyy laughed: "I am not a dictator. And I did not start the war. That's all."

But can he trust President Trump? If he can get security guarantees from him, I asked, will he keep his word? After all, he is known as someone who can change his mind?

"It's not just President Trump. We are talking about America. And presidents, all of us — are for respective terms. We want guarantees for 30 years, for example. Political elites will change, leaders will change."

He was referring to the fact that the reliability of American security guarantees for Ukraine must be approved by the US Congress. "That's why Congress votes for them. It's not just presidents. Congress is needed. Because presidents change, but institutions remain."

In other words, Donald Trump may be an unreliable partner, but he won't be president forever.

Zelenskyy says these security guarantees must be provided before he can consider another American demand – for elections to be held by this summer. This aligns with another Russian narrative – about Zelenskyy's illegitimacy as president. Trump did not demand elections in Russia, which Putin first led on the last day of the 20th century.

Zelenskyy said he has not yet decided whether he would run again if elections were held: "I might participate, or I might not."

Presidential elections in Ukraine were supposed to take place in 2024, but they became impossible because the law prohibits voting during martial law, introduced after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Holding elections, Zelenskyy said, is technically possible if Ukraine has time to properly change the laws. But first, Ukraine must receive security guarantees.

Zelenskyy further explained that there are many problems associated with holding elections, including millions of Ukrainians abroad and significant territories of the country occupied by Russia. So I asked him if this meant he objected to the idea of elections?

"If this is a condition for ending the war, let's do it," replied the President of Ukraine. "I told partners: 'Honestly, you keep raising the issue of elections, but you need to decide – do you want to get rid of me, or hold elections? If you want to hold elections (even though you are not ready to tell me honestly even now), then let's hold these elections honestly. Let's do it in such a way that they are first and foremost recognized by the Ukrainian people. And you yourselves must admit that these are legitimate elections.'"

The problem of licenses for the production of air defense systems

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also has opponents and fierce adversaries within Ukraine itself.

Last autumn, his government was shaken by a corruption scandal, which resulted in the resignation of his closest advisor [head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak].

But Zelenskyy, along with his updated team, still enjoys a level of support that most leaders in Western Europe can only dream of.

To the annoyance of his allies, he constantly demands new weapons from them — in larger quantities and of better quality. One of the accusations made a year ago during a dispute with Trump and Vance in the Oval Office was the claim that Zelenskyy was not grateful enough.

Another item on his list of demands is permission to produce American weapons under license, including missiles for the Patriot air defense system.

"Today the issue is with air defense. The most difficult issue. Unfortunately, partners are still not granting licenses for us to produce, for example, Patriot systems ourselves, or at least to produce missiles for the systems we already have. So far, we have not succeeded in this."

— Why are they doing that?

"I don't know, I don't have an answer. Unfortunately."

At the end of the interview, Zelenskyy switched from Ukrainian to English.

Given all that has been said, the journalist asked him if we should prepare for an even longer war in Ukraine?

"No, these are two parallel tracks. There is a chess game with many leaders, not with Russia. There isn't one right path. We need to choose many parallel steps, parallel directions. And one of these parallel paths, I think, will bring success. For us, success is to stop Putin."

— But Vladimir Putin will not stop this war? Unless, of course, he comes under immense pressure, and that's probably not happening?

"Yes and no. We'll see. Yes and no. He doesn't want it, but 'doesn't want' doesn't mean 'won't do'. God willing. God willing, we will succeed. Thank you."

After that, Zelenskyy took a few photos with the journalists, shook hands with the film crew — and left the room.

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