Zelenskyy to Trump: Put more pressure on Putin — Transcript

Mr. President, thank you for having me here in the President's Palace.

Mr. President, the war in Ukraine goes on for almost 1,500 days now.

Now the world looks also at Iran and that crisis. Do you feel like there is an immediate change in focus for your war here in Ukraine?

Thank you so much, first of all, thank you for your coming.

It's so important, really, the focus on Ukraine is very important, and using this opportunity or journalists,

famous journalists, all the journalists from different countries, and when they have when when we have them in Ukraine.

When you can come and speak about Ukraine, just speak what you see.

No messages from us, something specific or something special.

For us it's more about how to show wider what's going on.

People and the world not to forget that what does it mean the aggression of Russia.

So, that's why answering on your question, of course, we need focus on Ukraine.

We need we need to hold this focus.

And of course, in any way, when you have another big challenge in the Middle East,

a new war.

Because it's a real war.

And of course, some kind of shiftings from Ukrainians.

Ukraine's focus is going on.

This is what we see, of course.

You see immediate consequences, Patriot missiles are being used that you could have used here in Ukraine.

Also, the debate and factual lifting of sanctions against Russian oil is something you must look at with a lot of skepticism.

The challenge was.

I agree with you.

And and it's not.

Because it's it's a pity but our partners, with all respect to them, they didn't give us.

All this package what Middle East has.

For example, all this package with Pac-3 or Pac-2.

We we are very thankful to partners that they gave or European partners who could buy from.

The American side missiles, but it's been not enough.

And all these big number, big volume of Pac-3 missiles for Patriots.

All this Middle East.

They had it.

Be be very honest.

And of course, so this is not because of.

This war in Middle East, such deficit of missiles.

Not not because of this.

But.

You are right.

That we will have this challenge.

Now we have not big number of missiles.

But I think this war will have will have influence on decreasing the number of missiles.

Decreasing all the opportunity to get more missiles.

Pac-3, Pac-2.

This is really what we what we see.

And as you've been totally right about sanctions.

This is a big risk for the world.

For Ukraine, first of all.

And for whole world, such decisions.

I hope that that totally they will not.

How to say it?

Put off the sanctions.

Yes.

But I but I we see the first signals of thinking about.

Some less sanctions on energy.

On first of all, oil, Russian oil and gas.

Yes.

And and I hope I hope that they will not do it.

I mean Americans.

I know that they think about it.

But it's a big challenge.

It's a big risk.

Throughout the four years, you have been in difficult situations.

And sometimes I saw speeches of you or video clips that you sent out.

That I found were very special moves in a very special situation.

To get into a more favorable situation.

One of those moves to me seemed to be that you offer the skills that you have in Ukraine.

For the attacked partners of the US in terms of drone defense.

Is this something that can maybe pave a way and give you the opportunity to be a partner in that particular field?

I hope so.

So, first of all, we we spoke about it.

In Munich conference, in Davos and before.

During last one year and a half, I shared the idea of a common forces.

Common European defending forces.

It's not about any kind of offensive or any kind of involvement.

Other soldiers of other countries to to the war here in Ukraine.

No, I spoke about defending lines.

I spoke about how to close the sky in all the Europe.

We have such understanding what to do.

We have such technologies.

And we have such experience.

And this is exactly this we proposed the United States in our drone deal.

We wanted to sign drone deal, big drone deal with the productions of the United States.

But we needed very much the exception from the White House.

Yes.

It's all about different kind of drones, different kind of air defense.

They work in one system.

And they can defend hundreds or thousands of Iranian Shaheds and missiles.

We didn't have yet opportunity to sign this document.

I hope maybe American friends will be closer to this question.

Especially after such a challenge what we see in the Middle East.

But yes, we the countries of Middle East on the level of presidents.

They they asked Ukrainian side to share our knowledge.

Our experience.

And maybe our some technical resources and three of our teams.

They are already on the way to these countries.

At the same time, of course, independent from that.

You need financial support.

You're waiting for the 90 billion loan of the EU.

Which is not released, particularly because there's a conflict.

Within Europe, but also between you and that person.

I'm talking about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Now, what happens if you don't get that money released?

First of all, of course.

We send our groups to Middle East.

And of course, we hope that they will help us.

With some missiles for Pac-2, Pac-3.

You just have to know about it.

The second point, of course, we count on money.

We need money for our internal production.

And I think it it's very important for us.

And for Europe.

So it's not the conflict between Hungary and Ukraine.

The conflict between Europe and Hungary.

And even correctly to say between Europe and Hungarian Prime Minister.

Because it's not about Hungarian society.

And so this is not just a conflict.

It's not about one reason or another.

Because the Prime Minister of Hungary, he blocked all this way.

Of sanctions policy during all these year.

He blocked transit of weapon.

Through Hungary.

They never helped us with military support from the very beginning of this war.

They said about clearly that they will not support Ukraine.

Because they have really real friends in Russia.

And they are friends.

Strategic partners.

This is where we are.

As I said that that it was important for them.

That's why they blocked everything during all this way.

That's why it's not something personal.

It's not about personal, it's about all Ukrainian lives.

And security of Ukraine and security of Europe.

And that's why if this is not a conflict.

If there is different different way of life.

Because Russia is is an enemy.

They began this war.

Without any kind of understandable reasons.

They began the aggression.

And they have allies.

And they have North Korean leader.

They have also Belarus, not even society.

I'm about the regime of Belarus.

Because the war began from the territory of Belarus.

The full scale war.

Then they have, it's a pity, they have China.

Which is supporting them.

Helping them.

Yes.

It depends on what volume of this.

Machineries or weapon.

But I mean this.

We understand that they helped them in sanctions policy.

How to circumvent the sanctions.

And of course, Hungarian Prime Minister, he helps Russia.

He's an ally.

Yes, of course.

I think yes.

What does it mean?

To be ally?

What does it mean?

Well, it means to stand on that side.

You support.

He's standing on the on on the side of Russian leader.

He's doing the same.

Blocking everything for Ukraine.

Only one thing he doesn't do today.

He's not attacking by missiles and drones our territory.

And he's not sending his soldiers.

Yes, this is only one thing.

But he's blocking money and blocking weapon.

Blocking our way to EU.

Our way of life.

Yes.

And also with Russian narratives, he's sharing the same narratives.

He's personally doing this.

So it's I mean this, it's not up to him because he's one of the leader of EU.

It's the question of EU.

That's why it's I think that the dialogue between you and him.

It's a veto principle.

So he's very powerful.

You must have a plan B if that money doesn't come.

Do you?

It's a question of security of Ukraine and Europe.

That's why yes, you are right, but partially.

We need plan B.

I agree with you.

But not we, we and Europe.

We all need this plan B.

I think so.

I think that if our European partners and real friends, they know that we defend.

Not only Ukrainian values, we are defending freedom of all Europe.

If it's a fact.

And if it's true that our partners shared with me personally.

And publicly with the people.

So it's mean that it's all, it's the big challenge for all of us.

Great diplomacy is probably needed.

To convince Hungary to unblock the funds.

Do you think you have found the right words in the recent days towards Prime Minister Orban?

It's difficult to say because we are not speaking.

So he was he was involved, I mean this, sorry, he was invited by by me.

Our country invited and Slovak Prime Minister.

By the way, with him I spoke by phone.

I invited him and he said, yes, we have to fix the date.

And then he disappeared.

But also Hungarian Prime Minister, I mean this, he he was invited also by me.

Visit Ukraine.

I I said it to also to Slovak, Slovak Prime Minister.

That we can we can meet bilaterally.

Or we can make it trilateral format.

And that's it.

Now the question is they want Russian oil.

And as I understood that what what European Commission told me.

They want Russian oil.

And if Ukraine will not transit Russian oil.

They will block money.

We have to.

In such case, if it's I don't know in English, shantash.

You have the same.

Blackmail.

Blackmail.

Yeah.

We we have the word blackmail.

So if it's blackmail.

So I said, okay.

We will renovate.

If EU doesn't have any kind of signals to Hungarian.

This issue.

And Hungarian messages.

So.

We will renovate.

I said it to European Commission.

But allow me to follow up.

Mr. President.

There are people in Europe who say you support.

Or you you you reached maybe not the goal that you wanted to reach by insinuating that you would share address.

Of him.

And some people say you helped him in his election campaign.

Isn't that something that maybe went too far?

I'm not thinking about his elections.

I think that he's.

He has long political life.

I'm not sure that I my messages had influence.

Five years ago.

Or 10 years ago.

I think I was not in the presidential even presidential cabinet all these years.

But he was the Prime Minister.

With all his rhetoric against EU.

And I didn't see strong messages from European leaders who can stop this person.

Who is dividing EU.

So, I'm not sure that in this case silence.

No, diplomatic silence is very helpful.

Because we see his his way of life.

I'm just I'm.

We are defending our life.

Defending our country.

If he doesn't want to to support.

It's up to him.

But he can't be against us because he's immediately ally of Putin.

It's not for me.

It's for all our people.

And this is where we are.

The core of the conflict is Druzba pipeline.

No.

It was before Druzba.

No.

It what Orban tries to increase this topic about pipeline.

No pipeline worked.

We've been against.

I was from the very beginning against to sell Russian oil.

Because it's the policy of politics of two standards.

We are fighting against Russian aggression.

But at the same way we have to sell this oil because we have such.

We had in the past such decisions.

That's why I think it's two standards policy.

I'm against it.

But I can't I couldn't be against it judicially.

And when Russia destroyed this pipeline, I said, okay.

But it destroyed it, why why we have to renovate it again?

This was my position.

But again, it's my personal position.

It doesn't mean that this is the reason.

Prime Minister blocked weapon transit through through Hungary.

It was last logistic ways.

Then he blocked some Russian personalities.

He was blocking personal.

Oligarch, Russian oligarchs.

And now in this new package also they tried to cancel the surname of Russian oligarchs.

Again and again.

And also they always blocked sanctions about any kind of Russian energy.

Even it's not about Hungary.

Nuclear energy.

Or it was about.

Some other issues, not only energy issues.

I mean this.

They they during this war, they had so many meetings in Moscow.

With Russian enemies for us enemies.

And they always said that they are.

It's their friends and partners.

And etc.

That's why it's not about pipeline.

The European investigation.

That could solve that issue.

We already managed this.

I said already our team told that we will need one month and a half.

To renovate one line.

One line.

If it will be a blackmail that they will not give us money.

I mean Europe will not give us money.

And they need for this only Russian oil.

Yes.

It's up to them.

Yes.

It will be possible in one month's point and a half.

If we want to renovate the reservoirs which been destroyed.

And you can see it.

You can look at this.

Everybody tactical group will tell you that we need for this minimum six months to renovate this.

The biggest reservoir.

But it but we.

Found the way how to manage in one month's half.

It will work.

But it was it will be dangerous for our ecology.

But it will work.

It will be dangerous if it will be destroyed again.

By Russians.

But I I can't tell you exactly that it will be.

But it was.

Several times.

Not once.

After the first time when pipeline was attacked by Russian drones and missiles.

Not Hungarians and not Slovak.

They didn't speak with Russian.

In publicly we didn't hear that they asked Russians not attack this pipeline.

No.

They only asked us to renovate and renovate it again.

It's March.

A strong winter is behind, particularly the Ukrainian people.

With devastating destruction that I also saw earlier that day in Kyiv.

And probably much more that I didn't see.

Still the life on the streets seems to be the life of a population that is not willing to give up.

How do you see the moral after four years of war?

Currently in the situation.

Of course, people are tired because of the war.

Because they are surviving.

But but in the very, how to say, in very, I think that people didn't lose their values.

And didn't lose this feeling of real life.

Freedom.

And even in such difficult circumstances.

That's why I think that.

Yes, the moral, yes, people are tired.

But the moral is on the high level.

In any way.

What do you think you can achieve on the battlefield?

We have seen gradual changes in terms of territory.

But not significant ones.

Where do you think this can go?

Today we want to to end this war in negotiation way.

In diplomatic way.

And that's why we have to hold front.

It's not about a big offensive operations.

Yes, we made some steps.

Offensive steps.

They've been successful.

At the end of the last year and at the very beginning of this year.

Yes, we brought back the control on 430 km.

Square kilometers.

But but I mean this is some operations on the battlefield.

How better hold the front line.

It's about all about it.

Because we are preparing and we are ready for diplomatic way.

It's not the question what Russia has.

Their goal is to occupy us.

President Trump told my colleague Dasha Fers that President Zelensky doesn't want a deal.

Is that true?

What do you think?

I mean.

I mean.

A deal means you have to be willing to take compromise.

Are you?

I think Ukraine demonstrated a lot of compromises already.

The first one.

They killed so many people.

They began this war.

Now President Trump didn't raise the questions of accountability.

And nobody speaks about it.

And of course, we speak about it.

And everybody's trying to forget about already occupied territories.

About the part of this war.

Which begin from the occupation of Crimea.

And a part of Donbas.

Yeah.

So they are fighting, trying to find compromise.

Between us to sit with Russians.

To support this what President Trump's team proposed.

In Saudi Arabia one year ago.

Already one year ago.

We supported this.

Is it is it a compromise?

Was it a compromise from our side?

Of course.

To stay where we stay.

And they don't move back.

To the Russian land.

And they are not occupying the territory what they occupied.

Is it not compromise?

I think it's a very big compromise.

Don't forget about such big number of losses.

The biggest compromise was at the very beginning of.

Trump's storm.

When he said that, look, we have to stop and freeze the conflict.

We need ceasefire.

And then everything will be after.

After.

In diplomatic way of negotiations.

And they said that if you will not stop, we will not help.

I think it was.

The biggest compromise on on what all our nation.

Been ready and ready still.

So, but you know, after such compromises.

Russia is not.

It's not enough for Russia.

And they wanted more and more.

More and more.

It's slow occupation.

It's not about the compromising way of life.

Do you believe that the peace negotiations that are happening?

That have happened in the past month.

That they will lead anywhere?

What what we have?

We have our life.

And of course, we strengthen our soldiers.

We try to manage economy.

Pay salaries.

And not ready to give our country to Putin.

And that's why, of course, we we need negotiations.

We support them.

Can I believe in or hope?

It's it's not about hoping.

It's not about trusting to Putin.

We don't trust Russia.

But I think and I trust that Americans really want to finish with this war.

I hope that they will help us.

But we need more pressure on Russia.

Not on me.

Sometimes I think how hard it must be for you to, you know, set for yourself.

Maybe a goal that you want to achieve.

And then maybe you have to consider to give away a part of Eastern Ukraine or a part of the territory to achieve peace.

And you must go through these thoughts and define something for yourself.

That is thinkable and that is unthinkable.

Do you have answers on that, what is unthinkable for you?

Or what would be a goal where you would like to to be at some point?

I'm not in the position where I have to think how to find compromise.

And which will be okay for all the sides around me.

For different groups of people.

I'm the President.

And I has.

I have to defend the Constitution.

Have to defend independence of my country.

And my people.

That what I'm thinking about.

Only when when I make any steps.

All my steps are basing on such principles.

And I'm it's very clear for me.

It's not so difficult for for the person.

Which understands very clearly what we have to do.

Do you sometimes dream about your old life?

No, no.

I'm thinking about future.

So it's really a cut and the performer, the actor, the comedian Zelensky is completely.

I'm not thinking about it.

I'm focusing only about today and the challenges of today.

And thinking about future how to end this war.

This is about surviving.

It's not about dreams.

I don't have too much time for this.

You don't allow yourself to dream.

I don't have time to relax.

Not too much.

You can give yourself moral.

No, no, I'm okay.

Believe me.

I'm very okay.

I knew a lot of people who in 20 after 2014 after occupation.

And we had a lot of talks, dialogues, relations.

And etc.

And the situation of occupation of Crimea.

So changed them all.

So for for me, they are not partners.

Friends.

No one no even human being.

So for me it's something in the past.

So the situation of occupation, they supported the occupation of Crimea.

They supported this war.

To kill.

I mean, how how normal people can support to kill somebody.

Even if you don't like somebody.

You don't like the messages of this person.

Or the face.

Or etc.

But how can you kill?

So this is a big question.

And those people who are in the past, they they I mean this.

They supported.

And some of them went to the war.

And just they began to fight and kill our people.

So what attitude I have about them?

The same what you spoke about Putin.

The same attitude.

So Trump is right.

In in this.

Yes, he is right.

Not in everything.

Not there will be a peace deal.

How can there be a peace deal at some point between two people who hate each other?

Nobody nobody say that somebody will give each other friendship.

No friendship.

He's a killer.

He tried to occupy us and kill so many people.

And we answered to them.

And he lost a lot of soldiers.

So it's understandable the attitude.

But we need peace.

The peace.

It's not emotional thing.

The hatredness.

It's about emotions.

The peace is very specific document.

Which can give our people possibility to live.

And to stop the war.

That's why this is the priority.

It's not about personal attitude.

It's not about personalities.

In your former life, you were a performer.

Very close sometimes to people who are now in the leadership of the Russian Federation.

There are rumors saying you had this moment where you were performing in front of Dmitry Medvedev.

Very privately.

Do you sometimes think back how how weird life can be that you experience this?

And now the extreme of war.

It's another life.

Really another life.

So we I mean this.

Two countries, two neighbors, we had a lot of a lot of things.

I mean this.

Common families, you know, that a lot of different relatives.

Both sides.

And businesses.

And I think that.

I mean this.

Governments lived in another reality.

And people.

And just everything was different.

So now.

Another life.

Do you sometimes dream about your old life?

No, no.

I'm thinking about future.

So it's really a cut.

And the performer, the actor, the comedian Zelensky is completely.

I'm not thinking about it.

I'm focusing only about today and the challenges of today.

And thinking about future how to end this war.

This is about surviving.

It's not about dreams.

I don't have too much time for this.

You don't allow yourself to dream.

I don't have time to relax.

Not too much.

You can give yourself moral.

No, no, I'm okay.

Believe me.

I'm very okay.

Mr. President, thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

And I hope to see you again here, maybe in a year.

And to see some progress on this.

Thank you for having me.

Thank you so much.