Volodymyr Zelensky gave an extraordinary interview to Ulysse Gosset and Yves Calvi for BFMTV. In this long interview, which will be broadcast this Wednesday, the President of Ukraine mentions the atrocities that his people have experienced since the end of February, the ongoing offensive in Donbass, but also his relations with Emmanuel Macron or Marine Le Pen.
On the 56th day of the war, fighting escalated in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow concentrated on the Donbass region assigned to it.
Siege of the city of Mariupol, diplomatic relations with France and Emmanuel Macron, Russian offensive in Donbass, talks with Russia, talks with Marine Le Pen… Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a long interview to Yves Calvi and Ulysses Gosset for BFMTV, in which he points out the dramatic situation in his country since February 24.
“The war did not start on February 24th, but 8 years ago”
During this interview, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was not looking at the Russo-Ukrainian war on February 24, but “8 years ago” when Russia decided to annex Crimea.
I want 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 Russia’s massive incursion into our territory,” the head of the federal state wants to correct.
Ukraine do not be afraid of the May 9 appointment
“You know, we are not afraid of May 9,” the Ukrainian president also told our reporters, referring to the date when Russia could declare its “so-called military victory.”
“It goes without saying that the leaders of the Russian Federation are very fond of symbols,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy notes, before comparing (without naming him) Putin’s regime to Nazi Germany: “It reminds me of some other leaders of other states who are very attached were about numerology, about symbols, but you should know that for us in Ukraine, May 9 is also a holiday, a celebration of victory during the Second World War.
Zelenskyy fears that Russia has not mobilized all its resources in the Donbass
Ukraine’s president says he understands that Russia has “not yet mobilized all of its resources” in Ukraine. “Today I cannot say that a large-scale offensive will be launched in Donbass,” warns the president.
According to him, “Russians advance and leave nothing behind”. They don’t occupy these cities because there is nothing left to occupy: no more buildings, no more people. (…) You have to understand what is happening in Donbass: they take small villages like Volnovakha and destroy them everything, all houses, not a single person survives. There is no survivor among those who could not escape. Volnovakha was simply erased from the map.
“It’s a big threat, there’s cause for concern,” 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/”
Zelenskyy invites Macron to “genocide”.
When asked about his relations with Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of “good relations” with the French President. They are “better and warmer,” continues the Ukrainian head of state, who regularly calls his French counterpart.
Three days before the second round of the presidential elections, Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not want to lose this connection with Emmanuel Macron. On the war in Ukraine: I think he is in a very difficult situation, because a lot of business was directed to Russia, and it is known that the Russian elite settled down in France … in Nice, in Cannes they have villas ‘Yachts on the Shore’.
We understand the weight of the Russian oligarchs’ money on the French economy. I understand that the internal pressures must be quite high, 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 see the genocide underway in his country.
Macron-Putin talks produced ‘no results’
However, the Ukrainian president says it is “very difficult” to assess whether Emmanuel Macron should continue to meet regularly with President Vladimir Putin, as he has done since the conflict began.
After what Ukraine has seen in front of the eyes of the whole world, it is difficult for me to answer. I think Macron understands that the hope for a dialogue with Putin is being questioned, especially because there is no outcome from that dialogue, contrary to what happened in Normandy in 2019. Of course, the result was not 100% effective, but there were contacts, a ceasefire regime, fire. But you know that water has flowed under the bridge since then”.
“Officially, the Ukrainian delegation is still holding talks with Russia. But every day, after every Boutcha or Mariupol, belief in the success of these talks is fading,” he adds.
· Discuss with Marine Le Pen in the event of an election? “Everything depends on it”
When asked if he would be willing to speak to Marine Le Pen if she is elected on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelensky replied: “It all depends, it doesn’t depend on his status, but above all on his principles, I wouldn’t say not even his rhetoric”.
“If she understands and realizes that she was wrong, our situation could change,” the Ukrainian president said, acknowledging that he would prefer not to lose “his good relations” with President Macron.
“We saw the French take to the streets to support the Ukrainian people before saying, ‘I have a lot of respect for the history of France and your people. We cannot speak against France.”
City of Mariupol 95% destroyed, Zelenskyy accuses Russia of “terrorism”
When asked about the situation in Mariupol, a city in south-eastern Ukraine that has been under siege for almost two months, Voldymyr Zelensky describes a catastrophic situation: “Not only are the soldiers being taken hostage, but also the civilians are being blocked: children, the elderly… It is not even a war anymore, but a terrorist action by the Russian Federation.
Everything was destroyed, 95% of all buildings were destroyed, including schools and kindergartens, residential quarters. You have to understand that they continue to bombard the 4-5% of life. He stays, they shoot everywhere. That’s why people are just afraid to go out.”
In this interview, the Ukrainian President also accuses Russia of detaining Ukrainians who have fled to areas under his control in “special camps”. “All the people who went to the areas controlled by the Russians have disappeared,” Volodymyr Zelenskyj laments. “You should know that all of these people have disappeared, including several children who went in that direction. They are in special camps on Russian territory. It is a great tragedy.
Jeanne Bulant Journalist BFMTV