Zelenskyy: Putin aims to divide me and Trump, fully occupy Ukraine

President Zelenskyy warned about this in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, the full video version of which was released by the president's press service on the evening of Sunday, January 5, 2025.

As the President of Ukraine recalled, in 2019, when he had just taken office, Putin took advantage of Zelenskyy's desire to establish peace during their meeting in Paris, promised him many things, and then violated the commitments made, resuming fire on Ukrainians. The agreements reached at that time did not actually include anything that could truly stop Putin from continuing his aggression. Zelenskyy is confident that Putin could now act the same way with Trump.

"Trump will be in the situation I was in back in 2019. Exactly in that situation: wanting to end the war, wanting sustainable peace for Ukraine, we need to make a ceasefire, exchange people (prisoners - ed.), and then diplomatically return all territories – we will do this diplomatically. And what will happen with President Trump if the ceasefire is without security guarantees for at least the territory we control? What will he get? If, for example, he reached a ceasefire, and after three months Putin starts a new wave of attacks? How will Trump look? How will Ukraine look? How will everything look?" Zelenskyy noted.

In his opinion, effective security guarantees for Ukraine that would deter Russia from further aggression would include powerful weapons for Ukraine from the United States and the country's accession to NATO, possibly even considering the temporary occupation of certain territories.

At the same time, Putin, according to Zelenskyy, is now willing to play along with Trump, partially agreeing to the conditions put forward by the American president, "because he (Putin - ed.) fears Trump, and as soon as Trump agrees to a ceasefire without serious security guarantees for Ukraine, he will pass the ball to Putin – not that he wants this; I believe what he says – but he will pass it to him."

"In Putin's mind, it's to sow discord between me and Trump. In Putin's mind, it's to complete the occupation of our territory. This is all in his sick mind. I am absolutely sure of this. That's why I told you: don’t wait for Putin's willingness, force him to do what he must to stop the war. This is important," Zelenskyy emphasized.

• President Zelenskyy's conversation with Lex Fridman lasted over 2 hours and, in addition to the war, touched on the topic of elections and his attitude toward other Ukrainian politicians.