- January 7, 2025
- 1:05 pm
- Ukraine
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky recorded a podcast with famous American interviewer Lex Friedman.
Zelensky was very emotional and made a number of loud statements about Trump, about where to get money for weapons, how all the other guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum, in his words, “didn’t give a damn” about Ukraine and how Lukashenko apologized for missiles from the territory of Belarus .
About NATO and Israel
According to the Ukrainian president, allies helped shoot down approximately 1,000 missiles during the Iranian attack on Israel, despite the fact that Israel is not a NATO member.
Zelensky noted that during the shelling of Israel, US, French and British aircraft helped Jerusalem repel attacks
“A thousand downed missiles is a guarantee of security, just not under the name of NATO. Why does the word NATO irritate someone, Vova? Is the problem in the word itself? – the president asked a question.
“When the missiles flew into Israel, which is not a NATO member, NATO aircraft took off, and air defenses operated from countries in the Middle East, including various countries – all these are also security guarantees. And Israel has nuclear weapons. Why do they need NATO if in fact they have more than NATO,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky on Lex Friedman's podcast: revelations about war, Trump and security guarantees
A frank interview that shocked many
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky spoke for the first time in such an emotional vein on Lex Friedman’s podcast. He touched on key issues: ending the war, security guarantees for Ukraine, the attitude of the West and the role of major world leaders. Zelensky’s open statements left neither Ukrainians nor the international community indifferent.
“If we don't get security guarantees, Putin will attack again. This is obvious,” Zelensky emphasized.
Negotiations and security guarantees
Zelensky said a simple ceasefire is not enough for long-term peace. According to him, Putin still dreams of the complete occupation of Ukraine.
Key elements of security, according to Zelensky:
- NATO membership. It provides strong guarantees.
- Armament. Even in the event of a truce, Ukraine must be prepared for a possible threat.
- Sanctions against the Russian Federation. They weaken Russia's economic ability to wage war.
Zelensky noted that the United States could use $300 billion of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukrainian defense.
What about the occupied territories?
Lex Friedman asked Zelensky if Ukraine is ready to give up temporarily occupied territories for NATO membership. The president responded that the country was ready for a compromise in which NATO’s Article 5 would apply only to territories under the control of Kyiv.
“We are ready to look for a diplomatic way to end the war. But only if the safety of Ukrainians is maintained,” Zelensky noted.
Budapest Memorandum: Didn't everyone care?
The President emotionally spoke out that the guarantors of the Budapest Memorandum (USA, Russia, Britain, France and China) ignored Ukraine’s requests for consultations after the occupation of Crimea and Donbass.
“We demanded consultations. We wrote letters. But there was no answer. Why? Yes, no one cared (they “didn’t give a damn” – in the original),” Zelensky said.
He emphasized that even after the start of a full-scale invasion in February 2022, there was no reaction from the guarantors of the memorandum.
Putin, Lukashenko and love for his people
Zelensky criticized Putin's position, noting his indifference to his people. The President recalled how the Kremlin destroyed the Chechens and now sends Russians to die in foreign lands.
“Putin sends his people to Chechnya, Syria, Africa, Ukraine. Is this love for the people? 788 thousand Russians were killed – killed or wounded. And this is just the beginning,” he said.
Zelensky also spoke about his communication with Lukashenko. The President of Belarus, according to him, tried to justify himself for launching missiles from Belarusian territory, declaring: “Volodya, it’s not me.”
Comparison with North Korea
The President touched upon the topic of North Korea's participation in the war on Russia's side. According to him, out of 12 thousand North Korean troops sent to the Russian Federation, 3,800 people have already been killed or wounded.
Comparative table of projectile supplies:
| Country | Number of shells |
|---|---|
| European Union | 1 million |
| North Korea | 3.7 million |
Zelensky stressed that Russia is trying to hide the losses of North Korean soldiers by burning their faces so that they remain unrecognizable.
Expectations for the end of the war
The President expressed hope that the war could end in 2025.
“Everything is in our hands. We must stop the aggression now. Perhaps 2025 will be a turning point,” Zelensky said.
Bottom line
Zelensky's interview on Lex Friedman's podcast became one of the most emotional speeches by the Ukrainian leader. The President raised important questions regarding the future of Ukraine, the world order and the role of the international community.
You can find out more about this and other news on the website NAnews – Israel News.
….
Read on WhatsApp – channel NAneNAnews">Read on Telegram – channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News
