Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Future of Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine sat down for an in-depth conversation about the ongoing war with Russia, potential paths to peace, and his vision for Ukraine's future. Some key points from the discussion:

The Importance of Language

Zelenskyy emphasized the symbolic importance of speaking Ukrainian, especially during wartime:

"Today, there were 73 missile attacks against us, and people were killed. There were over 100 drones today. And this is a daily occurrence. The people who attack us they speak Russian. They attack people who were only recently told that this was actually in defense of Russian speaking people. And this is why I respect neither the leader or director of today's Russia, nor the people."

He explained that while he can speak Russian fluently, he chooses to primarily use Ukrainian as a statement about Ukraine's independence and identity.

Reflections on World War II

Zelenskyy shared the story of his grandfather who fought in World War II:

"My grandfather, he... he graduated from the military... military academy and from the very beginning of the war he went to fight. He was in the infantry, and he fought through the entire war. He had many wounds. As they used to say back then, 'His chest is covered in medals.' And it's true - he had more than 30."

He drew parallels between the Nazi invasion then and Russia's invasion now, noting both began in the early morning hours.

The Start of the 2022 Invasion

Zelenskyy recounted the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022:

"At four in the morning there were strikes. Morally, is it possible to prepare for war? No. It doesn't happen like you read in books, see in movies, and so on. What happens to you... I was just looking at my wife and children. My children were asleep, but my wife was awake. There were strikes. Missile strikes, we heard them."

He described having to quickly shift into his role as commander-in-chief and make rapid decisions to respond to the attack.

Negotiations and Ceasefires

Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about the possibility of negotiating with Putin, based on past experiences:

"In December 2019, in Normandy, in Paris, at the Elysee Palace, Macron, Merkel, Putin and I agreed on the ceasefire. The US wasn't there, and this, by the way, was a weak point of the meeting. If you'd like, we can later discuss why they weren't there, it's a security guarantee thing in general, it's Germany's position, etc. We agreed on an exchange of hostages, an all-for-all exchange. We made a deal to exchange everyone for everyone."

He explained that despite reaching agreements, Russia would often violate ceasefires within weeks or months.

Security Guarantees for Ukraine

Zelenskyy outlined what he believes are necessary security guarantees for Ukraine to achieve lasting peace:

"NATO is not only stopping Russia. Do not forget, NATO is stopping us too. Because there will not be justice for everyone. We know that NATO does not have the right to solve certain issues with war. NATO is a security alliance, it is protection, not brainwashing."

He suggested partial NATO membership could be a potential solution, where NATO would protect territory currently under Ukrainian control.

Fighting Corruption

On accusations of corruption in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said:

"We really have a very sophisticated anti-corruption system. Sophisticated not in the sense that it's difficult to understand, but in that it really consists of many elements. It's the most sophisticated in all of Europe."

He pointed to reforms and anti-corruption bodies implemented under his administration, while acknowledging more work remains to be done.

Ukraine's Future

Looking ahead, Zelenskyy outlined his vision for Ukraine's future development:

"Digital, it's very important. Digitalization of all the process. We began this work. We have special Ministry of Digital Transformation. Yeah. So, this is very good. And we also have our Diia, this is the name for all of these services. Yeah. So I think that is the most important. This is again, this is not only convenient, that will cancel all the, any possibilities for future corruption because you don't have any, you know, you don't have any personal connections with people in the government or elsewhere."

He emphasized attracting foreign investment, developing Ukraine's natural resources, and continuing to align culturally with Europe rather than Russia.

Closing Thoughts

Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's desire for peace, while emphasizing the need for justice and security guarantees:

"We want peace, you know. I mean, just to make it clear, we want peace, just what I always say. You have to come to Ukraine and see for yourself, and people will tell you: 'no, we can't forgive those murderers who took our... our lives, but we still want to make peace'."

He expressed hope that with support from allies like the United States, a path to ending the war and rebuilding Ukraine can be found.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u321m25rKXc