Ask Onix
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reaffirmed his nation's resolve to defeat Russia, dismissing calls for territorial concessions as a temporary fix that would only embolden Moscow. In an exclusive interview in Kyiv, Zelensky insisted Ukraine would reclaim all occupied lands, framing the conflict as a global struggle against Russian expansionism.
'Putin has already started World War Three'
Speaking from the heavily fortified government headquarters, Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of initiating a broader war, one that transcends Ukraine's borders. "I believe that Putin has already started it," he said. "The question is how much territory he will seize and how to stop him."
Zelensky rejected Russia's demand for Ukraine to surrender control of eastern Donetsk and southern regions like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, even if it secured a ceasefire. "I see it as abandonment-weakening our positions and leaving hundreds of thousands of our people," he said. "This 'withdrawal' would divide our society."
Pressed on whether concessions might satisfy Putin, Zelensky warned that Russia would regroup within two to three years. "Where would he go next? We don't know, but that he would want to continue is a fact."
Victory defined: 'Justice for the whole world'
Zelensky outlined victory as restoring Ukraine's 1991 borders, the internationally recognized frontier established after the Soviet Union's collapse. "Returning to those borders is not only a victory-it's justice," he said. However, he acknowledged the human cost: "To do it today would mean losing millions of people."
He emphasized that Ukraine's survival hinged on sustained military and economic pressure against Russia. "Ukraine's victory is the preservation of our independence, and a victory of justice for the whole world is the return of all our lands."
Trump's shifting stance and security guarantees
Zelensky addressed U.S. President Donald Trump's inconsistent rhetoric, including false claims that Ukraine's leader is a "dictator" who started the war. "I am not a dictator, and I didn't start the war," Zelensky said with a laugh. "That's it."
Trump has halted most military aid to Ukraine but continues to provide intelligence support. Zelensky stressed the need for long-term U.S. security guarantees, not tied to any single administration. "We're talking about America," he said. "Congress is needed because presidents change, but institutions stay."
Trump has also demanded Ukraine hold elections by summer, a demand Zelensky called premature without ironclad security guarantees. "If this is a condition for ending the war, let's do it," he said, though he raised logistical hurdles, including millions of refugees abroad and occupied territories.
Allies' patience tested by demands
Zelensky's relentless requests for advanced weaponry, including Patriot missile systems, have frustrated some Western partners. Last autumn, a corruption scandal led to the resignation of his closest adviser, though his approval ratings remain high by European standards.
"Today, the issue is air defense," Zelensky said. "Our partners still do not grant licenses for us to produce systems ourselves, like Patriots. So far, we have not achieved success in this." When asked why, he replied, "I don't know. I have no answer."
'Parallel tracks' to end the war
Asked if the world should prepare for a prolonged conflict, Zelensky rejected a single solution. "It's two parallel tracks," he said in English. "You are playing chess with a lot of leaders, not with Russia. There is not one right way. You have to choose many parallel steps."
Pressed on whether Putin would ever end the war voluntarily, Zelensky replied, "Yes and no. He doesn't want to, but doesn't want doesn't mean he will not. God bless. God bless, we will be successful."
"Ukraine's victory is the preservation of our independence, and a victory of justice for the whole world is the return of all our lands."
Volodymyr Zelensky
