In an unique interview with Al Jazeera, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed the Russian invasion, a prepare station assault in Kramatorsk, the killings in Bucha and outlined the mandatory steps wanted to finish the battle.
The Ukrainian president additionally addressed the allegations that he was stopping civilians from utilizing humanitarian corridors resulting in Russia.
Beneath is a transcript of Zelenskyy’s wide-ranging interview with Al Jazeera’s Osman Ayfarah that was filmed on Friday, April 8, 2022. It has barely been edited for brevity and readability.
Al Jazeera: What’s your response to the lethal assault on the prepare station in Kramatorsk?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Russian troopers who shelled the railway station clearly understood that there have been civilians. We all know there have been no troopers over there. They may not say that there have been any troopers there, or any army models near there, and we clearly understood that they know what they’re doing.
Who’re they killing? They’re killing bizarre residents, adults and kids. You’ve seen images and there’s a video already.
That is one more piece of proof and help for the truth that Russia is capturing and destroying civilians. It’s not about intimidation.
They’ve shelled Kramatorsk. This is among the heroic cities since 2014. We fought for Kramatorsk and the residents of Kramatorsk, and the entire nation fought for Kramatorsk. We bear in mind what was the defence of the Kramatorsk airport for the reason that starting of the battle, and that occurred earlier than the large-scale invasion.
That was a peaceable metropolis and since my election as president, I’ve been there many occasions. And what I can inform you is that one thing like 40 individuals have been already recognized as killed and a few hundred wounded. Nonetheless, the search and rescue operation continues, and sadly, what we will say is that Russia is destroying the civilian inhabitants of Ukraine.
Al Jazeera: How tough is it to evacuate civilians when such issues are occurring now?
Zelenskyy: The air raid warning was obtained from the governor and the native authorities. In order that they have been signalling and saying that Russia is making ready for rockets and missile launches. There have been additionally making ready for a large-scale invasion on that a part of the Donbas which is beneath management of the Ukrainian authorities and isn’t beneath momentary occupation.
So the native authorities have mentioned that they are going to be serving to individuals to evacuate, they usually have additionally known as upon the residents of Ukraine saying that if they’ve their very own transport, they will evacuate as a result of there are important dangers corresponding to shelling and bombing and we all know that Russia is relying on a large-scale invasion, even if they’re saying that they’re not capturing on the civilian inhabitants.
Often, each time any political chief of Russia is saying that they don’t seem to be capturing at civilians – when they’re telling that to completely different mass media – I believe that at that second, the inhabitants needs to be making ready themselves.
The [Russian] Minister of International Affairs, [Sergey] Lavrov mentioned whereas addressing Ukrainian authorities and the Ukrainian inhabitants that there have been fixed falsifications, that Russia isn’t combating and never shelling the civilian inhabitants, that they continued their particular army operation, as he known as it. And I’d say that we began to reply to that in a reasonably skilled method. We’ve provided the individuals of Donbas [support if they don’t want to stay there]. We’ve seen what occurred. There was some shelling and the Russian authorities simply advised extra lies.
Al Jazeera: Have you ever been capable of evacuate individuals from Mariupol, the place the humanitarian state of affairs could be very unhealthy?
Zelenskyy: Because the very starting of the battle, there have been plenty of dangers to a variety of cities – and Mariupol was considered one of them. And for the reason that starting of the battle, the entire metropolis was blocked after which all of the escape routes have been blocked as properly. And as you completely know, they didn’t permit anybody – I’m not speaking concerning the army – simply anybody from the civilian inhabitants to obtain meals, water and drugs.
I’m not speaking about any human help and help. I’m not speaking about not permitting members of the Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross to go to the Mariupol nurses or medical doctors. We’d ship the representatives of Ukrainian church buildings to Mariupol, they usually weren’t allowed to enter, so all the things was blocked. We’ve despatched convoys which have been completely empty with none civilians, they’ve shelled all these convoys.
They allowed civilians to go away town utilizing any transport that they had. Now our army, they’re not prepared and prepared to go away behind these wounded comrades they’ve or the civilians. We’re all dwelling individuals. All of us perceive that in case your fellow soldier has died, I imply, you can’t merely abandon his physique like a bag of potatoes someplace by the highway and let him rot.
Al Jazeera: They are saying the combating in the course of town is completed, and now that has moved to the port, they’ve requested the Ukrainian troopers to give up. Do you suppose they’re near controlling the entire of Mariupol?
Zelenskyy: Out of the five hundred,000 inhabitants of Mariupol, one thing like 400,000 have both been evacuated or killed.
Now the inhabitants is about 100,000 and there are our bodies of individuals throughout the streets. So talking about capturing, I imply, they have been killing, they entered residences. They’ve occupied this metropolis. They need to seize this metropolis. However for them, capturing town would imply our forces surrendering the weapons. However in the present day, we’re the place we’re. Our troopers are combating till the very finish, they usually’re not prepared to give up. In order that’s the state of affairs as it’s for now.
Al Jazeera: They accuse you of stopping civilians from utilizing humanitarian corridors resulting in Russia. How do you reply?
Zelenskyy: This isn’t true. That is simply one other lie. That is the selection of the bizarre residents. Similar to a alternative that’s made by the army. You possibly can evacuate. I imply, that is the selection made by our army. I’m not God to inform them what to do with their lives. They’re simply not prepared to go away all their fellow troopers and I personally completely perceive them if they’re prepared to withdraw, to retreat; they’ve this proper they usually can do this.
And these corridors are open for that, however they’re not prepared to go each as army or civilians to the territory of Russia. 1000’s of individuals went there. A part of the residents went to Russia however the place are these individuals? Some are asking, the place are these kids? Some would say that over 2,000 kids are lacking. We don’t know the place they’re.
Then we received some info that a number of the individuals have been captured by Russians and a few had their Ukrainian passport taken and as an alternative, they got Russian passports. So that’s what is occurring. The individuals are merely not prepared to go in the direction of the Russian Federation. They’re pressured to go. It’s both they’re going there or Russians will kill them. So I perceive when somebody goes within the course of Russia, however what is occurring to them afterwards?
Al Jazeera: What’s your evaluation of the battle state of affairs in the intervening time?
Zelenskyy: I believe we will see that this isn’t the tip of the battle. Lots of people’s temper has been raised, they’re glad as a result of a number of the Ukrainian areas are being liberated. However I don’t suppose it’s excessive time for saying issues like that as a result of plenty of settlements and areas are being occupied and lots of people are being killed by the Russian troopers.
And I can see that we’ve repelled a few of their assaults. They did not take the capital metropolis of Kyiv and another essential cities like Dnipro, Odesa and Kharkiv. In Kharkiv, the state of affairs is way extra sophisticated, the state of affairs could be very sophisticated within the south and naturally, probably the most sophisticated is within the east.
For them [Russians], it’s essential to manage Mariupol, they’re prepared to destroy all the troopers in Mariupol then they might proceed to the east with the intention to attempt to encompass a big variety of Ukrainian troopers with the intention to destroy all of that.
Al Jazeera: The Russian troops did withdraw from Kyiv and round Kyiv. Do you suppose the capital metropolis continues to be beneath risk?
Zelenskyy: It’s exhausting to say. If our forces in Donbas gained’t be capable to maintain their positions, then the danger of a repeated offensive in opposition to Kyiv is possible.
Al Jazeera: Would you say the negotiations are shifting ahead?
Zelenskyy: It’s not a standstill and the negotiations are persevering with, however on the similar time, they’re slowing down and I don’t see any precise outcomes of the negotiations, as of now.
Al Jazeera: Has your place modified after what we’ve seen in Bucha?
Zelenskyy: Because the chief of the nation, I must do all the things attainable to cease the battle. Negotiations are the best way to cease the bloodshed, if not the one method, and it’s the diplomatic path for stopping the battle.
Al Jazeera: A video has emerged during which Ukrainian troopers appear to be executing Russian troopers within the woods. So the Russians are saying Ukrainians are additionally committing battle crimes. What do you must say about this specific video and are you investigating this?
Zelenskyy: Look, it’s exhausting for me to touch upon any particular video. We’re all satisfactory individuals.
To start with, any movies, any instances like that, it’s both we will hear one thing or it’s both one thing has been demonstrated to us for the reason that starting of 2014, and on a time-to-time foundation, Russia was committing these informational assaults in opposition to Ukraine with the intention to justify their reactions to the Russian inhabitants. I’m not going to speak particularly on this or that event.
Our troopers, significantly the armed forces of Ukraine, don’t have any motive or any sense to behave in that method in the direction of Russian troopers.
Al Jazeera: Russia desires the Safety Council to fulfill and talk about this, one thing that the UK has refused. Do you help such conferences?
Zelenskyy: I’m not afraid of any periods of the UN Safety Council, I simply imagine that Russia has no proper to dictate something to anybody and organise something. They could begin discussing, however with out the ultimatums, with out circumstances, with out accusations. Solely in that case, when Russia will withdraw their forces from our territory, then, like some other individual within the civilised world, they will go to the UN Safety Council or the Worldwide Felony Court docket or to different worldwide establishments with requests, with appeals, with proposals.
You possibly can’t simply stand there and occupy the land of one other territory after which dictate circumstances. That is unattainable. That’s why they have been refused. They weren’t refused due to this or that situation. The UK was completely proper to reject them, not as a result of they’re associates, they might help any nation who can be dealing with an identical state of affairs as a result of they perceive what the legislation is, what sovereignty is.
Al Jazeera: Russia desires Ukraine to be a impartial state. You agree with that. However what’s your understanding of that neutrality? What are you prepared to simply accept as an answer for this complete battle and battle?
Zelenskyy: To start with, we at all times needed to have safety ensures, some particular agreements, and a few particular safety guarantors. These are the nations that might be capable to assure some particular instances beneath particular circumstances and circumstances. All of the residents of Ukraine want to have these safety ensures.
Russia has imposed an ultimatum. Then it withdrew from an ultimatum when it did not seize Kyiv in three days. Effectively, if Russia would be capable to occupy Kyiv, we wouldn’t be speaking about neutrality or non-block standing. We’d be speaking about various things.
However we would like some particular safety ensures – who would help us and the way, if there can be an invasion – and there may very well be even one other method, particular agreements that can guarantee that Russia will clearly not need to violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Al Jazeera: Do you remorse that Ukraine gave up its nuclear capabilities when it signed the Budapest Memorandum in 1994?
Zelenskyy: Sure. All these nations with nuclear weapons now, they’re not being captured. So if Ukraine gave up these weapons, they need to have particular ensures from a particular nation – that needs to be a really particular authorized settlement with very particular provisions on legal responsibility for violating this or that settlement.
In our case, that was the Budapest Memorandum. How might you surrender the weapons in such a method, with out signing any severe doc, simply making a giant current for what?
What did we obtain? We obtained battle. And this is among the causes we’ve got develop into weaker. Now we have weakened our standing, our defence, our inhabitants. That is what we’ve got given away. Now we have given away the lives of these individuals who died.
Al Jazeera: Will you search to have such weapons sooner or later?
Zelenskyy: No, I’m assured we’re not going to have the ability to search these weapons. That’s not our technique. That’s not one thing on our thoughts.
Al Jazeera: You mentioned you wanted ensures. Now, is there any nation that has agreed to behave as a guarantor? And if the reply is sure, then what kind of ensures?
Zelenskyy: There are lots of nations who’re prepared to help Ukraine and develop into safety ensures each in the present day and sooner or later. I can not offer you any extra particulars till we’ve got reached an settlement, however I can provide the record of the potential safety guarantors. These are the UK, Poland, america. Then Turkey, Italy, then I believe that this settlement can be unattainable with out the Russian Federation however that’s one other story.
I do know that Eire and another nations needed to contemplate changing into safety guarantors. We may also ask for China. France and Germany are also conscious of this case, and thus far they’re displaying some form of respect and help. However along with help and help, we have to have very detailed negotiations with the intention to perceive which nation is able to present which particular help and help and ensures.
Al Jazeera: You’ve at all times mentioned that you simply needed to fulfill Vladimir Putin. If he was listening to you, what would you prefer to say to the Russian president?
Zelenskyy: I’m able to have this assembly. As for the attainable subjects for our dialog, properly, undoubtedly not concerning the climate.
We don’t have a constructive local weather in our negotiations. The state of affairs in Bucha and in lots of different cities has put an finish in that there needs to be a practical dialogue with some resolve that needs to be reached.
What Ukraine actually desires, Russia isn’t prepared to offer, and all that Russia desires, we’ve got already confirmed that we aren’t prepared to surrender.
So we’d be discussing the battle, after we would put an finish to this battle, beneath which circumstances, when they’ll withdraw their forces from our territory, the difficulty of Crimea, and the difficulty of Donbas. We want to return our territories they usually’re not contemplating these territories as a part of Ukraine. They imagine these are impartial territories or Russian territories so in these negotiations, that is what we’re going to talk about.
Al Jazeera: In the event you permit me to finish with this private query. You’re an artist and actor. You’re not a army common. Now it is a battle and you’ve got seen so many tough issues, like our bodies within the streets of Bucha. You’re the chief of this nation. It’s robust for everyone. How do you as a human being, emotionally cope with all of this?
Zelenskyy: As a dwelling individual, I really feel ache. In sure instances, you simply get used to that and to a sure diploma, it’s a pity that I’m getting used to issues like that. That I take a look at sure issues that I believe not a single individual would have been imagining that they might be taking a look at. I believe it’s a query of who you’re and it’s not associated to the career that you simply’ve executed or what you’ll be doing sooner or later.
It’s whether or not you are feeling your self as a citizen of this nation, whether or not you are feeling your self as an individual with dignity, whether or not you’ll be able to let your self run away when someone is left behind, whether or not you must defend your individual land, regardless of how large it’s or whether or not you need to help when a baby is asking for assist, even when there’s a risk. So it’s a query of who you’re.
A career is about various things. It’s a career to be a citizen of our nation. That’s a very powerful career and in the present day, I’m grateful to this career, to the truth that many individuals in Ukraine are true residents of Ukraine, and many individuals are feeling themselves because the true residents of Ukraine.
