Zelenskyy expressed a sharp position on the question of the assassination attempt and on Donbass
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with British journalist Peirce Morgan on the Piers Morgan Uncensored program, addressed both personal security and scenarios for a peaceful solution, as well as the status of Donbas and the issue of elections in the context of war. One thing is noticeable from the thoughts expressed in the conversation: for Kyiv, this topic is not just politics, but a question about the state's "internal mechanism."
Zelenskyy emphasized that even if he perishes, this does not mean an automatic catastrophe for Ukraine. In his view, Ukraine is not a state that is tied to one person - these are institutions and systems. At this point, he emphasizes that he is talking not about himself, but about the stability of the state.
According to the president, special services informed him of several attempted assassinations. Zelenskyy believes that Moscow is interested in replacing the Ukrainian leadership and that it can try to achieve this goal both militarily and politically.
One of the most controversial points of the conversation was Morgan's question: "Would you have ordered Putin's murder?" Zelenskyy did not say "yes" or "no" directly. However, he indirectly expressed the following opinion: he does not believe that the elimination of the Russian leader will fundamentally solve the problem, because we are talking about a system that has already been built and taken root. He even suggested that "those like Putin might appear again in that system."
Regarding the election topic, Zelenskyy expressed his readiness to begin consultations with the Verkhovna Rada on the electoral process if a stable ceasefire is achieved for about two months. At the same time, he noted that neither society nor the majority in parliament supports voting under martial law. According to the president, the parliament continues to function, and even during the conflict, the elements of political competition have not completely disappeared.
Zelenskyy also openly stated that he does not want to engage in "historical" debates about the causes of the war. He believes that Moscow had its own "reasons" for making the decision - but the main goal for Kyiv remains to cease hostilities and return to a diplomatic format. The President noted that "these historic debates" will not bring the negotiations closer, but, on the contrary, can be used to prolong the process.
In this context, he also mentioned the negotiations in Geneva and said that positions on the territorial issue differ sharply. Zelenskyy believes that reaching an agreement on a ceasefire could be easier than agreeing on long-term political parameters. However, it was noted that no significant progress has been achieved there, and the status of regions and security guarantees remain the most pressing issues.
One of the most categorical statements was made about Donbas: Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine cannot agree to the "transfer" of Donbas. He called it a matter of people, values, and national security, not just geography.
In conclusion, Zelenskyy showed two things at once in this interview: on the one hand, speaking about personal risks, emphasizing that the state is not measured by people; on the other hand, while searching for a path to peace, he clearly drew a "line" in matters of territory and security. For a war-weary world, this sounds painful, but the reality is similar: peace doesn't come quickly, but the path to it still begins with negotiations and a stable halt.
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