There can be no compromises on Ukraine’s sovereignty – Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made this statement in an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, according to Ukrinform.

Key points from the president’s statements:

• “We are somewhat tired, but we have enough energy to fight for our existence and our lives. Our resources are sufficient to establish a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
• “We are in a better situation than at the beginning of the war, but we are not only fighting against Putin—we are also fighting for the support of our allies. We are battling a major wave of Russian disinformation against Ukraine, likely the most serious since the start of the full-scale war. We are fighting to maintain a strong alliance of our European partners because Russia is destabilizing some countries, even some of our neighbors. We are also actively fighting for the alliance between the U.S. and Europe.”
• “Supplies are continuing as they did last year, allowing us to sustain our army. Today, we have started producing more weapons in Ukraine, and in 2025, about 40% of our arms will be domestically manufactured.”
• “Without support, or with slow support, we risk losing part of our territory. The contribution of the United States to Ukraine’s defense capability and security currently stands at around 30%. If U.S. aid stops, it will soon affect European leaders as well, and we will become dependent on the risk of supply disruptions from European countries. I believe President Trump will not take such steps.”
• “About 350,000 Russian servicemen have been killed. There are many missing—between 50,000 and 70,000. Around 600,000–700,000 have been wounded. The ratio of wounded in Russia is one to two because their medical system is weaker than ours. Ukrainian losses include 45,100 dead and about 390,000 wounded.”
• “Before the war, we had several phone conversations with Putin, but then he disappeared for over a year. After that disappearance, the full-scale invasion began. I really wanted to talk to him, to have the opportunity to meet and start a dialogue about ending the war and stopping hostilities. His spokesperson said there was nothing to discuss and that they did not see the point of a meeting. They have always wanted to destroy Ukraine. Now they are looking for excuses not to stop the war.”
• “They (Putin and his entourage) do not see me as suitable because they need a puppet here. They want their people to govern Ukraine. By having a large faction in the Ukrainian parliament, they influenced Ukraine to prevent it from choosing a European path and instead remain under Russian control. They did this in Georgia—first by freezing the conflict, then by installing their own leaders. They did the same in Belarus. There is Lukashenko there, but there is no independence.”
• “Regarding my legitimacy, I was elected by 73% of my country’s population. I am always open to any elections. During wartime, elections cannot take place. Once martial law ends, elections will be scheduled. If we lift martial law now, it will be exactly what Putin wants. That would mean most of our army would return home—who would then defend the country?”
• “We cannot recognize the occupied territories as Russian. There can be no compromises on state sovereignty. Unfortunately, the support provided by our partners is not enough for us to fully expel Putin from our lands. We will reclaim them if our partners help apply sufficient pressure on Putin.”
• “Ukraine is ready to end the active phase of the war. Putin is a murderer and a criminal—this is a fact. If people believe we should shift to diplomacy, then at the negotiation table there must be the United States, Europe, Ukraine, and Russia. We will talk with Putin. Even talking with Putin is already a compromise. Talking with a gangster is a compromise from the entire civilized world.”
• “We believe President Trump wants to achieve success in this situation, and success means victory for common sense. We must stabilize the situation without risks for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the entire world.”
• “If sanctions on Russia are lifted, it will increase the risk of a second invasion.”
• “I believe the fastest way to shift to diplomacy is to guarantee Ukraine’s NATO membership today. NATO is our guarantee that Putin will not start another occupation, and it is also a guarantee for NATO that Ukraine’s contingent of hundreds of thousands of troops will strengthen the Alliance. NATO is a guarantee for the Russians that Ukraine will resolve all issues through diplomatic means.”
• “We want to rebuild Ukraine, our cultural heritage that has been destroyed. We want to develop our country not only in military technologies but also in other areas—humanitarian, medical, cultural, and sports-related. All of this requires funding. That is why I believe NATO is the cheapest option.”
• “A military presence in Ukraine could serve as a deterrent against Russia, but all of this is just a step toward NATO. If we are not in NATO tomorrow, we must understand when we will be.”
• “If the NATO accession process drags on for years or decades, then we will rightfully ask: What will protect us from this evil in the meantime? What support will we receive? What weapons will we be provided with? In that case, our partners must supply us with enough missiles and even return nuclear weapons to Ukraine, as well as finance a million-strong army to deter Russia and ensure people feel safe.”
• “Putin would not have invaded in 2022 if Ukraine had nuclear weapons. Our nuclear weapons were traded for nothing. It was an agreement between Russia and the U.S. that Ukraine would give up its nuclear arsenal.”
• “Ukraine has received $77 billion from the U.S., including $46 billion in military aid and $31.5 billion in budget support. The U.S. has also provided significant assistance to refugees—between $5 billion and $6 billion. Some of the money discussed in the U.S. was allocated to funding production within the United States.”
• “Russia is no longer a dangerous adversary for the U.S.—we have eliminated their experienced personnel and skilled military forces.”
• “A victory for Putin would mean dragging the United States and all of Europe into World War III.”
• “President Trump invited me to his inauguration, but only in general terms, as he likely did with other leaders. Time is needed to sit down and discuss how to end the war. Trump wouldn’t have time for a personal meeting.”
• “The Council of Churches has excluded the Moscow Patriarchate from its ranks. Legally, parliament has decided that the Moscow Patriarchate must re-register under legal grounds. There can be no legal ties with Moscow.”
• “Putin is a bloodthirsty dictator, a murderer. Most of the civilians killed were Russian-speaking.”
• “[Viktor] Medvedchuk was always against Ukraine, against our independence, against Europe and NATO. Every Russian ultimatum from Putin was transmitted through Medvedchuk. His pro-Russian party profited from Russian oil and gas. When the war began, Putin sent his ultimatums through Medvedchuk’s party, which demanded that Ukraine surrender to Putin. He was arrested by the SBU and later exchanged for 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war.”
• “Tucker Carlson needs to understand the situation in Ukraine more deeply, stop working for Putin, and stop licking his ass.”
• “On September 11, 2001, when thousands of people died in the U.S., Americans struck back at the terrorists and put them in their place. They eliminated those who gave the orders. Ukraine struck in the Kursk region, where Russia had deployed 12,000 North Korean troops. We eliminated 4,000.”
• “The strength of any agreements (with Russia) depends on President Trump, our dialogue, and pressure on Putin. The sooner we do this, the happier people around the world will be.”