Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a joint interview with First Lady Olena Zelenska on the national telethon. In it, the president spoke about Ukraineʼs main achievements in 2024 and also mentioned his relationship with the US President-elect Donald Trump.
Babel briefly retells the main points from the interview.
About Donald Trump
The US President-elect Donald Trump could play a crucial role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Zelensky believes he can help stop Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing. He, his qualities, they are like that. He is capable of being decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping Putin, or rather, helping us stop Putin. He can do it," Zelensky says.
Zelensky considers him "strong and unpredictable" and hopes that he will direct these qualities against Russia.
Meeting with Trump
Zelensky believes that after Trumpʼs inauguration on January 20, he will meet with him. And this will be one of Trumpʼs first meetings as the US president.
“Trump told me on the phone when we were talking, ʼI will expect you to be one of the first to visit’. He said, ʼFor me, the priority is to end the war, and I will do it’. Therefore, I think we will have a meeting after the inauguration,” Zelensky said.
Safety guarantees
Any security guarantees without the US are weak guarantees for Ukraine. Zelensky welcomes the European peacekeeping mission but says it should not replace Ukraineʼs NATO membership.
"A just peace for us is an understanding that we are in the European Union and that we have strong, powerful security guarantees. NATO is the best [option] for us. I would not like to give a pass to the alternative now. Of course, any security guarantees without the US are weak security guarantees for Ukraine," the president says.
Presidential elections in Ukraine
Holding elections in Ukraine is possible only after the end of the hot phase of the war, when Ukraine will remain in a strong position and with a strong army. Until then, the president and the Verkhovna Rada are legitimate, Zelensky stressed.
He himself has not yet decided whether he will run for president again. His focus is on something else right now.
"For me, this is not the focus of today. This is not the goal of today... I donʼt know how this war will end. If I do more than I can, then I will look at it [running for office] more positively," the president said.
First Lady Olena Zelenska, when asked how she felt about her husbandʼs hypothetical second presidential term, replied that she would support any decision he made, regardless of whether it was popular or not.
End of the war
Russiaʼs war against Ukraine will not end overnight. However, the hot phase could end fairly quickly if the US President-elect Donald Trump is strong in his position.
At the same time, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid direct negotiations with Zelensky by all means. He emphasized that direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would be a loss for Russia, since the goal of occupying Ukraine has not been achieved. Therefore, Putin will look for a leader who will agree to Ukraineʼs surrender and will put pressure on him.
Front
Ukraine will do everything to stabilize the situation on the front line in January. This will be done with the help of weapons that will come from partners and units that are training and being equipped abroad.
Zelensky says that “currently the Russians have some progress in the east” — it is difficult for the Ukrainian army there. However, this is due to the fact that Russia has concentrated much more of its military there than in other areas.
The Kursk operation is a strong trump card against Russia’s arguments for a freeze on the war, especially for the Global South. The success of the Ukrainian army made a strong impression on them.
About AWOL
In 2024, the number of cases of desertion among Ukrainian servicemen increased. However, in the fall, such cases decreased.
"People are getting tired. We need to increase rotations, but how to conduct them? Thanks to the reserves. There are not so many reserves because not everyone has arrived to replenish the reserves," the president explained.
Achievements of Ukraine
Ukraine thwarted Russiaʼs plans to occupy Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia in the fall and winter of 2024. Zelensky calls this an outstanding achievement of the Ukrainian army.
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