Volodymyr Zelensky gave an exceptional interview to Ulysse Gosset and Yves Calvi for BFMTV. In this lengthy interview broadcast on Wednesday, the Ukrainian president recalls the atrocities experienced by his people since late February, the ongoing offensive in the Donbass, but also his relations with Emmanuel Macron or Marine Le Pen.
On the 56th day of the war, fighting escalated in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow concentrating on the Donbass region it believes it belongs to.
Siege of the city of Mariupol, diplomatic relations with France and Emmanuel Macron, Russian offensive in the Donbass, talks with Russia, discussions with Marine Le Pen… Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a long interview to Yves Calvi and Ulysses Gosset for BFMTV, in which he recalls the dramatic situation his country has been facing since February 24.
“The war didn’t start on February 24, but 8 years ago”
During this interview, Volodymyr Zelensky said that he believed that the Russo-Ukrainian war started not on February 24, but “8 years ago”, when Russia decided to annex Crimea.
“I would like the whole world to understand that the war started 8 years ago, in 2014 or 2015. On February 24, it was ‘just’ the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Russia into our territory,” said the head of the state. .
Ukraine ‘not afraid of May 9’
“You know, we are not afraid of 9 May,” the Ukrainian president also told our reporters, referring to the date when Russia could declare its “so-called military victory.”
“It is clear that the leaders of the Russian Federation are fond of symbols,” notes Volodymyr Zelensky, before comparing Putin’s regime (without naming him) to Nazi Germany: “It reminds me of some other leaders of other states that were very attached to numerology, to symbols, but you should know that May 9 is also a holiday for us in Ukraine, a celebration of the victory during the Second World War.
Zelensky fears that Russia has not mobilized all its resources in the Donbass
The Ukrainian president says he understands that Russia “has not yet mobilized all its resources” in Ukraine. “Today I cannot say that the large-scale offensive will be launched in the Donbass,” the president warned.
According to him, the Russians “go forward and leave nothing behind”. “They do not occupy these cities because there is nothing left to occupy: no more buildings, no more people. (…) You have to understand what is happening in the Donbass: they take small villages like Volnovakha and they destroy everything, all houses, not a single person survives. There are no survivors among those who were unable to flee. Volnovakha was simply wiped off the map.”
“It’s a big threat, there are reasons to be concerned,” he admits. “But we will be ready to take revenge,” he said. “We never wanted to take other people’s land, but we are ready to defend our country”
Zelensky invites Macron to come see “genocide”
Asked about his relations with Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky calls for “good relations” with the French president. They “have improved and become warmer”, continues the Ukrainian head of state, who regularly speaks by telephone with his French counterpart.
Three days before the second round of the presidential election, Volodymyr Zelensky says he does not want to lose this bond with Emmanuel Macron. On the war in Ukraine: “I think he is in a very difficult situation because a lot of things were focused on Russia, and it is known that the Russian elites in France came to rest… in Nice, in Cannes they have villas yachts on the coast”.
“We understand the weight of Russian oligarchs’ money on the French economy. I understand that the internal pressure must be pretty great, but President Macron has to choose between money and the fight for freedom and human rights. Man,” Zelensky continues, before “inviting him to go to Ukraine to watch the genocide” going on in his country.
Macron and Putin talks led to ‘no result’
However, Ukraine’s president believes it is “very difficult” for him to assess whether Emmanuel Macron should continue to meet regularly with President Vladimir Putin, as he has since the start of the conflict.
“It is difficult for me to answer after what Ukraine has seen in the eyes of the whole world. I think Macron understands that the hopes of a dialogue with Putin are being questioned, especially since there was no result from this dialogue” , unlike what happened in Normandy in 2019. “The result, of course, was not 100% effective, but there were contacts, a ceasefire regime. But you know that water has flowed under the bridge since then.”
“Officially, the Ukrainian delegation is still in talks with Russia. But with each passing day, after each Boutcha or Mariupol, confidence that these talks will succeed is waning,” he added.
· Consultation with Marine Le Pen during elections? “Everything Depends”
When asked if he would be willing to discuss with Marine Le Pen if she will be elected on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelensky contacted him: “It all depends, it depends not on his status, but primarily on his principles, I wouldn’t say not even his rhetoric”.
“If she understands and acknowledges that she was wrong, our situation could change,” the Ukrainian president said, recognizing that he “would prefer not to lose his good relationship with President Macron”.
“We saw the French take to the streets to support the Ukrainian people before saying, ‘I have great respect for the history of France and your people. We cannot speak to France.”
Mariupol town 95% destroyed, Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘terrorism’
Asked about the situation in Mariupol, a city in southeastern Ukraine that has been under siege for almost two months, Voldymyr Zelensky described a catastrophic situation: “The soldiers are not the only ones held hostage, but the civilians are also blocked: children, the elderly… It is not even a war anymore, but rather a terrorist act by the Russian Federation.”
“Everything is destroyed, 95% of all buildings are destroyed, including schools and kindergartens, living quarters. You have to understand that they continue to bomb the 4-5% of the life that” He stays, they are shooting everywhere. That’s why people are just afraid to go out.”
During this interview, Ukraine’s president also accuses Russia of detaining Ukrainians who have fled to areas it controls in “special camps”. “All the people who went to Russian-controlled areas have disappeared,” Volodymyr Zelensky laments. “You should know that all these people have disappeared, including several children who have gone this way. They are in special camps on Russian soil. It is a great tragedy.”
