YouSaid · the spoken record

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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146
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2025-01-06
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2025-01-06
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  1. “Operated in Syria and Africa. These snipers were training in our country, in the east. Ukrainians were living targets. Was shooting from the other side, killing people, women, people, children. They were shooting. It was a hunt. By the way, it was in the Russian-speaking region, in the east, where, according to him, everyone is speaking Russian. That's where they were shooting, where the situation currently is the most tense. They killed people. We sent this information, sent pictures, we sent them to the UN, sent them everywhere. We worked very hard, very persistently. I met with everyone, but who thought of Ukraine back then? They didn't notice it much. They didn't pay much attention to Crimea being.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  2. “They were killing people. And I kept calling him. I called again and again, but there was nothing until after a few months the Russians stopped answering the phone. We did not have any contact since I wanted another meeting, like we had in Normandy, I wanted the next meeting, I wanted to find a solution, but the Russians refused. We tried to make it happen through various European countries, and not only European, but the Russians refused. They passed along some kind of bullshit, made excuses, they didn't want it. Meanwhile, they were sending their snipers. We had evidence, living proof, even video evidence, because some of them were captured back then. Those were the snipers in training. They were training them. They were training them. And later those snipers.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  3. “Not for New Year's because everyone was celebrating New Year's. And now they're offering us a Christmas ceasefire. It's all the same. A ceasefire for two, three days just to get some praise. But this isn't a performance. This isn't some kind of theater, no. This is about people's lives. And that's what happened. After that, I called him a few more times. I think I only had two, three calls with him in total. I asked him for a ceasefire. He told me, it couldn't be. We will figure it out now. People from the occupied territory, Russians, and separatists, they were all there together. They continued to shoot and kill our people. Yes, the front lines were quiet. They killed people”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  4. “Ceasefire you spoke about. What happened The gas contract was signed because he needed it. And by the way, he knew everything about it. As for exchange We took the first step and exchanged the people. Regarding the ceasefire They started killing us in about a month. I called him And I told him We agreed on a ceasefire, didn't we? Well, it wasn't a piece of toilet paper, was it? This is serious business. So it seemed. It really was serious. Merkel, Macron, you and I, we all agreed on this together. A ceasefire is important, isn't it?”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  5. “Where is it? How long will it take to disengage troops? And why wasn't he involved? You want to know? Because he wasn't going to do any of this. This is what confused me if you are not deeply involved in the issue. Well, then you it's As if you don't really need the result. That's what I think. So, what happened? We agreed. Gas continuation. Gas transit. In 2019, we agreed with him, this was a security for Europe, Merkel asked me for it. And this was extremely important for Germany. Agreed with him Secondly, we agreed that for him it was just money. So, secondly, we agreed on an exchange. For me, this was the most important thing. For them, gas was, for me, was the people. And this is a fact because I wanted to have a humanitarian advantage so that there would be further meetings that would lead to sustained peace. Ceasefire.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  6. “It will not work out. But I had many points because I was deeply involved in the issue. I was involved very deeply. It's my thing in general. If I start doing something, I can't stand there like that guy I spoke about with my ass out, you know? I must be dressed. Must be prepared. I must be prepared better. Better than anyone in front of me. You do sports, right? I practice for many years. And we know what fights are like, what boxing is, what tie boxing is. This is what I did and I loved it very much when you step into the ring, you understand everything pretty much. And so I stepped into it and I was definitely well prepared. But he wasn't He was not deeply involved in the process. What border?”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  7. “We agreed on an exchange of hostages, an all for all exchange. We made a deal to exchange everyone for everyone. I think you know that. And there was also a meeting that lasted many hours, a meeting where we made a deal with him. Everyone was tired. It was just the two of us in the end. And I proposed a ceasefire. By the way, no one in Ukraine believed. Few believed in the ceasefire, and he wanted troop withdrawal. I calculated that if there were a withdrawal, Of troops from the line of contact the way Russians proposed, it would take 20 years. I proved it to him just in terms of time. Square kilometers, namely the length of the line of contact or delimination line, and we agreed on what I told him that”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  8. “Can I ask you a question I just really want you and I to be on the same page It's very important to be in the same information space, extremely important. Let's talk a bit about the ceasefire. Let me describe the situation to you. In December 2019, in Normandy, in Paris, at the Elysee Palace, Macron, Merkel, Putin and I agreed. On the ceasefire, the US wasn't there. And this, by the way, was a weak point of the meeting. If you'd like, we can later discuss why they weren't there. It's a security guarantee thing in general. It's Germany's position, etc.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  9. “The circumstances, sorry for interrupting. There's something we need. I think that President Trump not only has will. He has all these possibilities, and it's not just talk. I really count on him. And I think that our people really count on him. So he has enough power. Pressure him, to pressure Putin not into wanting to stop it. No, he will not want to. To pressure him to actually stop it. That is the difference. Don't rely on his will. Putin's will to stop. You won't see it. What I think. Sorry”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  10. “And you say we need to talk. Listen, we need to be in a strong position and not talk, but end the war. Yes, it is possible through dialogue, we're not opposed to it. You just need to be in a strong position to make the other person want it. Do you think he wants to end the war? That's what you suggested. I think this is naive. I'm sorry. With all due respect, it's naive to think he wants to finish the war. It's”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  11. “One should always speak with someone who listens. And you must speak when you know that this will benefit you, bring peace and calm to the world, not the other way around. I love President Trump's message when he speaks. I think that we share a position on peace through strength. That is very important. It means that if you are strong, You can speak And we need to be strong. And Ukraine has to be strong, strong enough. Otherwise, what for? So he You know who like Voldemort who must. Who must not be named? Yes, he's like Voldemort. He Thrives, subsists, and lives on being subjectivized. Instead of isolation, he is offered to step out into the light. His darkness personified, and you offer him, as it were, to be subjectivized. Why? There's only one reason.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  12. “You think that when you do interviews like Mr. Tucker, who did an interview there, that you're about to make them friends? How could you? What does this have to do with friends? He's different He is simply different.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  13. “He is actually deaf, even if he speaks to you. He is deaf by his very nature. Do you understand the difference? You know, for instance, when you talk to Musk. You're talking to. An innovator, a scientist about rockets, you talk about how to save on cars and how they land. And on the other hand, Putin doesn't launch rockets to save money but to kill people. Do you think you can talk to Putin about technology? Your guys, we're interviewing him, and he told them about tribal history Do you understand? Imagine a Russian man in his country listening to him. You know what Musk is about? Technology Mars artificial intelligence. And this guy Putin is standing there bare ass, pontificating about tribes. You've got to understand.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  14. “This is why it's so painful to talk about the Russian language too, because, look, if the person does not want to listen, they will not listen no matter what language we speak.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  15. “I talk to journalists. I ask them not to leave because we needed weapons. At that moment they were handing out rifles to people, and for me, journalists and media platforms were essential voices. There were various journalists from different countries here, and they were essentially stuck. And I asked them for contacts, those who had access to Russians, Belarusians, Kazakhs who understood everything, the same information. And I spoke to them. And I spoke to them and spoke in Russian. I told them, you must stop Putin. This is terrible. This is horror. This is war. You must stop him. And if you stand up now, if you speak out and if you go out into the streets, this was very important. I spoke to them in Russian to show. Them that there was no problem. And that all of these pretexts were made up.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  16. “I had to go out into the street. I left the office and went outside. I had to do this because I was showing that this was no green screen, you know, to show that it was the street, not some digital, some digital manipulation. I mean, I did these things, then I touched various objects. Now people might think that these are small things, but I was actually showing that I was in a real place. All of this had an impact. I was absolutely sure my actions. This context, several contacts, and then I spoke to the Russians, I addressed Russians, I really did. And then only after that, I gathered it was the first day when I invited all of the journalists here, wasn't it? That was on the first day, I think, well, not here, here, to the press center in this building.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  17. “Large media resources, I understood that we needed to build an information network very quickly. Thanks to this, I began to address the people constantly. This happened several times, three to five times a day. In fact, I became that an information source for people who were in cities that were cut off from other information. And it was very important for me to keep all things digital to keep the internet, to stay in touch with everyone, with all the people. Initially, that's the contact we had. And then we also build a media platform where we had all the news agencies, agencies of Ukraine. And this network was called Marathon. And it was also very important for the people to trust us. And people had to receive information. Why? There were waves. There were waves of Russian on the first day who said he ran away.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  18. “Trucks came and simply distributed weapons to people so that they could defend the capital, to ordinary people just on the street, to ordinary people who understood that if the Russians entered a city. Then we would have the same thing that's happening in other cities per the information we received. Thanks to digitalization, by the way, we had very good digitalization before this. We preserved a lot. And even when they were surrounding Certain cities, a lot of things still worked. The banking system, the internet, we had television, and thanks to this, I made several decisions to ensure that people are united and have all the information. Russia is very good at spreading large-scale disinformation. Fortunately, I have two decades of experience, two decades of experience managing. Production studio TV channels.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  19. “According to our legislation, in principle I'm the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so I had to give corresponding orders. Yes, I have a military office, and then later there was a military headquarters where all key people gathered. This is not only about the military, it's about energy, et cetera, all key things. But at that moment, I made the decisions quickly and without a doubt. And I cannot say that I am just that kind of person. I'm just a living person who believed that if help is needed right now to help evacuate people, help with children, several cities were blocked. I was only thinking about how to deliver food there within a day. We did a lot of things, although we understood. That they, in fact, Occupy part of our And it We distributed weapons to people. That's how it was”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  20. “Regarding safety, and I had to deal with the state because I'm the president, and this is my duty. And I, by the way, is Taking this very seriously. I went to the office and here we are now. You're very welcome.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  21. “Well, after that, I went back home. I was home with my children, with my wife. I just went to my wife very quickly that night at four o'clock. Yes, and just told her, get the children, get ready, you'll probably need to go to my office very soon, and I left. That's it. At this moment You're no longer a father. What happened to me unfortunately because I believe that this is Not only do I believe, I understand, especially now that all of this is the most important thing because your country is your family. The strength is in your family, and this is the most important thing. And I'm the president, and therefore I had to stop being a father in my own family. And my wife had to do everything she had to do everything regarding children,”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  22. “You must understand, you can't fight the Russians. I told him that we never fought them. I said it's war. The missiles came from your land, from Belarus. How did you allow this? Then he replied All right, retaliate then. I still remember him, telling me hit the refinery. You know how much I care about it. Moser oil refinery, is that it? Can recall. Moser oil refinery? I told him, what are you on about? What retaliation”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  23. “None of it mattered. Still had four in the morning, around four three forty, three forty five, remember, around this time, yes, there were missile strikes. And later? By the way A few days after the first days of the war. I spoke with Lukashenko on the phone. And he apologized And he said that it was not me. Missiles were launched from my territory, and Putin was the one launching them. These are his words. I have witnesses. And I apologize, he said. But believe me, that's what he told me. Volodya? This is not me. I'm not in charge, he told me. I'm not in charge. These are just missiles. This is Putin. I told him, don't do that. This was done without me. That's it. He just on the phone, I remember this conversation. I told him that I believed that. I told him? You are a murderer, too, I'm just saying. And he told me”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  24. “I believe that no, and this is a fact We didn't receive help if we assume that words are help, well, then yes, we received a lot of it because there were plenty of words. Even more than plenty, yes? At four in the morning there were strikes. Morally, is it possible to prepare for war? No, it doesn't happen like you read in books, see in movies, and so on. What happens to you? I was just saying. Looking at my wife and children, my children were asleep, but my wife was awake. There were strikes. Missile strikes, we heard them. You as a living person? How can this be? You just can't fully believe this. You just don't understand. Why now, given everything that happened in World War II when... When millions of people died”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  25. “Okay It happened here around four in the morning. Before this, I must honestly say. Everyone said something, predicted something, etc. But I asked only for one thing, primarily from the United States, if you are sure, if you have the evidence, if you talk to him, and he tells you that there'll be an invasion if all this scares you. I only asked for two things. Send us weapons, or better yet, Strengthen us with preventive measures sewed there would be no war. It wasn't the weapons that I was asking for. I asked for sanctions. Intimidate him. Please don't say that if he comes, if he crosses borders, if he kills, we're imposing sanctions. Well, this is complete bullshit. Sorry, but really, I'm not.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  26. “This invasion was also at four in the morning, around four in the morning. There were missile strikes on Ukraine. This is the same. I believe that intentions are also the same, but more on that later. By the way, you tell me? If this is too long, you can stop me.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  27. “Hitler will destroy nations. Nations. And that's what happened. Someone looked the other way. What I told you about. Europe was sinking then. I gave you an example of it. But the whole world looked the other way and didn't pay attention and said, no, we can negotiate with him. I'm telling you he is okay. We can negotiate with him. He's just more right leaning, or it does not matter what they said. He's just, he's just pro, very pro nationalist. This is all nonsense. And this is not the first time. And Hitler isn't the first such case in history. We're dealing with a person who is allowed Desire to destroy. He was consumed by it and enjoying it. And what happened to Hitler? Now what about Putin”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  28. “None of those actions justify him, nor do they excuse his actions. And that's why we cannot look at the Second World War as if it started in nineteen thirty nine. It didn't begin in 1941 either. We need to draw conclusions. When did it start? With the weaknesses of the world. The division of European states, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, all of this happened before 1941. People who were more informed, those who dug deeper, whether they were politicians or not, whether they were from different walks of life. Including business, which was different back then, were speaking about all of this. Hitler won't stop There'll be a world war.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  29. “A vision of one world, and in principle the so-called Russian world, the ideology Putin promotes and imposes, it wasn't originally like that. He was a different person back then, or maybe he was always like this, but his rhetoric was different. At the beginning, remember, he talked about the EU and even about Russia's future being tied to NATO. There were even talks of joining the European Union. NATO, he spoke about shared values with the West. That's how it all sounded back then. And we must also look at Hitler, who was seriously before the radical idea of taking over the whole world. He actually made Certain steps, and everyone believed he was helping the economy, and to be fair, he did take some steps in that direction. But he was a terrifying person.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  30. “Well Well, firstly, the war actually started earlier. It started here in Ukraine, Kyiv was bombed, as you quoted. But the war had already begun before that. And I think I perceived it. As a start of the full scale invasion. I think It's hard It's hard to understand Why nobody wants to listen, look at and analyze history. War, the rise of fascism and Nazism, the emergence of Hitler, Goebbels, and their entire team at the time this wasn't just about one party or even one country, it was essentially a wave, a wave of hatred. A Of one race above the rest. They were, in fact, constructing and ultimately implemented a theory around this idea. Later seizing Europe. They created a theory of one nation, one race, one world, their world. Of course, this idea is absolutely senseless, but And even gain support.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  31. “I believe he fought for justice all his life, and we all lived in one apartment. And even after his death, I lived with both of my grandmothers and my parents, two grandmothers, who both lost their husbands. Both of them died. Well, it was an ordinary family, an ordinary family that lived like everyone lived back then in the Soviet Union, and even after the Soviets in the nineties, we lived in one apartment all together. What else is there to say? But I think the most important thing Was values, respect. They gave me an education. My parents gave me an education. No one left me money or apartments, so I didn't inherit anything material. But I believe that our real inheritance is here in our minds and in our hearts. I believe that.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  32. “Children who don't have parents, children of war. And she managed this childcare facility with difficult children, as they used to call them, difficult children who went through the war, who saw their parents killed, and this is how they met because These difficult children, they, well, sometimes behave differently, they could steal something, do something bad, there were many, many children in the orphanage. Yes, that's how she met my grandfather. I loved him very much. I think that my grandfather Frankly, would never have believed that this war is possible. He would never have believed it. Because he worked in the police after the war, he was a colonel, he worked in a criminal investigation all his life. So he fought with... Bandits all his life. After the Second World War. But also”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  33. “His entire family were executed. They were tortured. By fascists who had occupied Ukraine and their village? His father was the head of. The village And he was killed. They were shot. It was a A mass grave, right? Yes, it was a communal burial. Some of them were killed outright, and others were they were buried alive. His four brothers they all went to war. As soon as the war began, they were all there. He was the only one who had a military education, and they all Died in the war. He was the only one who came back. He had nobody. Came back and he found Grandmother, his future wife, and she was, she managed, what was it called then? I don't know, they don't have them anymore. It was a childcare facility and orphanage, so to speak, a place where orphans lived.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  34. “My grandfather graduated. From the military. Military Academy And from the very beginning of the war, he went to fight. He was in the infantry, and he fought through the entire war. He had many wounds As they used to say back then, his chest is covered in metals, and it's true he had more than thirty Yes more than thirty. He was the kind of man. He was such a He was such a serious man. I loved him very much. And we had a very close relationship. He didn't like to tell details about the war. He never He never boasted, although I asked him, as a boy would, how many fascists did you kill? He never talked about it. He believed that War was a great tragedy. A tragedy for everyone. And Ukraine was occupied, and it was a tragedy for Ukraine, a tragedy for Europe, and a tragedy for the Jewish people. His own brothers.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  35. “But if I'll be in the United States, I hope that I will have a conversation and a meeting with President Trump. And, of course, during my visit, if I'll have the time, it would be a pleasure if you'll invite me, with pleasure.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  36. “No, no. He is, I know him, and I saw a lot of different videos. He's a very talented person. So it would be a pleasure if you invite me and I'm able to do it. I am a little bit busy.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  37. “I go there several times a year now because well, now because of strengthening of air defense systems, because of this grain corridor, etc. I go there more often. They have the sun there. They have the sea. Ukraine and it's very cool there.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  38. “You know what's in Odessa? That's how they see it. What's there? In Odessa, we've got it all. Odessa, I love Odessa because of its particular temperament. People have their own accent, and there are many nationalities. You know, there are a lot of stories, authentic Odessa cuisine. By the way, you know, the cuisine is very different from others. The dishes are not like any other dishes and everything is very tasty. Also, there are beautiful people. And today, you know. You understand people very well, especially after. After the attacks on Odessa, you understand what the people are like, just how Odessites are, very Ukrainian. And that's very cool. I love Odessa. I go there several times a year.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  39. “You can use any language you like. And I think that's a very good rule for this first meeting between us. As you said, maybe we will meet in the future for the second time.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  40. “And better, that's true. I'm a very honest guy. That's why I will be very honest with you. Your Ukrainian is not very good, but we will work on it.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  41. “Not how? We're speaking about it. This is what I think you're a smart guy. So you have a lot of experience in dialogue of this kind. That's why I think you will understand me. Yeah, I anyway, I think it is far better for Donald Trump to hear my English not my Russian.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  42. “This is not true. I'm speaking Russian now, right? We have people who speak Russian. This is not true, really. It's not. It's really not true. We disrespect Russian now because of Russians. That's all. When they were saving Russian speakers, they killed Russian speakers, many people who actually, many of whom are in the east, right? In the east, they live, lived in the east. They destroyed their houses, destroyed their lives. It's not a rhetorical thing. It's not all talk and blah, blah, blah. I don't have time for blah, blah, blah. Yes, so it's very, very, very important and sensitive moment. The message is that we are not one nation. We are not the same country. We're different countries. Yes, different countries, and I think what is most important is. What we're talking about.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  43. “If there are some points that you want me to explain in Russian, I can certainly do that. I can certainly occasionally speak Russian. But in general, in general, no. I'm not sure that you will understand me completely despite your Ukrainian roots. You are a citizen of the United States, right? That's why I'm surprised that Don't understand. Well, it was a long time ago. I understand that it was a long time ago. Moreover, a lot has changed. A lot has changed.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  44. “They do not listen, they did not listen. Some are afraid, some have other issues, they have different reasons. It's like when a person is drowning, drowning and people walk by because they can't hear them. And someone walks on by crying, afraid to save them. It doesn't change anything for the one drowning. They need someone to help them. This is why I honestly despise these people as they are deaf. They began the occupation in the supposed defense of the Russian language, and that's why, with all due respect, I would like to give an interview in Ukrainian. This is very important to me.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  45. “The people who attack us, they speak Russian. They attack people who were only recently told that this was actually in defense of Russian-speaking people. And this is why I respect neither the leader or director of today's Russia, nor the people. I just, that's it. And I don't think that you can just pretend that nothing's happening. give Putin a pass once again for saying that we are one people that we speak one language, etc. They speak the language of weapons. That is a fact. And we are peaceful people, peaceful people who... Want to protect themselves and defend their freedom and their human choice. At the beginning of the war, I addressed Russians in Russian. Zero effect. They're mute.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source

  46. “I speak Russian perfectly, of course, and I understand everything you are talking about. However, I can't respond in Russian the entire interview. It's because this is how it is today. I am not making anything up. You can see it all for yourself. You can feel and hear it. Today there were 73 missile attacks against us, and people were killed. There were over 100 drones today. And this is a daily occurrence.”

    2025-01-06 · Lex Fridman Podcast · #456 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom · IDENTIFIED FROM THE TRANSCRIPT · source