Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Bret Baier: ‘The total world wants peace’

Now to our exclusive interview with Ukrainian president vomir zalinski Mr President thank you for the time thank just a few kilometers from the front lines we've been hearing artillery volleys back and forth all morning and you know we sat here and thought two years you know in the first days when Russia invaded many experts thought keev.

Was going to go down in two weeks here we are two years sitting right near the front lines as you make an effort to get support around the world where do you see this war right now thank you so much BR first of all thank you your team that you came here it's very important for me like I said before before we started that's.

Important for me United States to to to see different war in the capital and here uh closer to front line so first of all we are here and it's very important because at the first days when Russia said that they will occupi us we've been in the capital and their troops and soldiers being around and a lot of our territories houses been occupied now we.

Are here we are fighting two years ago half of those territory we de occupied it and of course the first of all this resilience and strongness of our Warriors Heroes and our people and of course support big Military Support political support of our partners United States and EU Partners now I think.

Challenging period another part another page of the war you said you recaptured 55% of the captured territory but Russia is still controlling 20% on these these lines here and it hasn't moved that much in the past year so is it a stalemate first of all it's not a stalemate indeed it's very complicated in the East there's a lack of certain.

Weapons they do have air superiority and they have superiority in terms of Manpower this is the fact truly and therefore there's the signation on this part of the front line we understand that we need to deblock the air we need our partners not to forget that is not a war that is taking place over one day but two years only.

The Joint efforts would be able to kind of fight back uh Russians and to have Russians go to concessions Putin has to understand what we what all of us what we have to do to push him he has to understand that all the world needs peace and all the world will not give him possibility to occupy Ukraine and to destroy it totally what.

He really wanted and still wants do you know roughly how many ukrainians have died in the war so far we know about tens of thousands of people being killed or tens of thousands of children being deported we know about this and should we compare the number of soldiers.

Killed I would say the ratio is 1 to5 so meaning one soldier killed in action equals to five Russian soldiers killed in action so that's the approximate statistics so one to five meaning Russians your defense Ministry has it at more than.

400,000 Russians is that possible well they've lost over 400 sou roughly that's let's just say 500,000 casualties for people in the US that's the size of the city of Atlanta Georgia it's a lot of people well the only thing that they've succeeded that's like over a period of.

Nine months they've managed to take control of the FD we need to understand the the understanding of what that means to control destroyed everything so their strategy is to level everything to the ground and then to move on like in Mar well nothing was left alive in Mario but in here everything is leveled to the ground we've elck the weapons we've elck.

The shellings for the artillery you recently replace your Commanding General General zalu with a new Commanding General you also replaced many top Comm commanders so does what does that mean does it mean you're looking for a shift a new Direction sort of reloading rebooting in the management of the.

Supreme commanders of the Armed Forces this was something that we really need we're not talking about kind of the rebooting or reloading of the direction of our actions we're just saying that some of the things were not changing over the recent period of time we have to be more quick that means to lose all the bureaucracy.

What we have otherwise we willn't have any chance to so to be smart technology more technologically and of course quick time is money in our case it's not money it's people people lives you gave him uh the hero of Ukraine medal um do you think he'll remain a supporter of you and your government was there any.

Part of that was decision about maybe him being in opposition to you that's his choice he defending our nation our country that's why I uh presented him with the title of her of Ukraine I'm very grateful to him you mentioned 2022 you stopped the Russians from advancing you push them.

back 202 three you defended successfully against an air campaign the effort to take out electrical infrastructure as you mentioned you kept the grain open in the Black Sea you went after the Russian Navy you sunk 12 Russian naval ships about 20% of their Black Sea Fleet now in 2024 though you have seen.

Kind of a stall on the ground the the counter offensive was not successful uh so as you look at 20 24 and those goals what do you see you know one if you get the funding from the US what does it look like and the other way if you don't what does it look like sometimes we forget one thing we are speaking about cont offensive of course.

It's very important and it's moving you to P closer but to defend Ukraine against such hary like Russia it's also big task Big Challenge you remember and you remind today that first days of the war nobody in the world really believed that we will do it and today sometimes we have we are and also in Congress we are speaking and.

They some some guys we have good relations because we met a lot of time they say so when when we will finish the war when we will win why so so slowly and Etc we we have not not forget people lives without them if we want be very quick but we will lose a lot of people without without very cont Contra offensive operation with details because.

These people if we will lose these soldiers we will lose everything with any technology we will lose everything and that means that to defend that the task number one than uh to continue our successful story on the Black Sea and we will do it I will not now go deeply to details but they will get some surprises I mean.

Russians yeah that's very important so South is very important to defend East where they have more than 200,000 soldiers also very important to defend and of course we will prepare new Contra offensive new operation and of course it's not I'm I'm not speaking that we will just stay of course it depends depends on a lot of things yeah some.

John shouted that so will ukrainians survive without Congress support of course but not all of us and if we understand this price if the world is ready for this okay you will see it but it's tragedy it will be tragedy for all of us not only for Ukraine not only for ukrainians for all Europe and you will.

See that they will go Putin will never stay will never stop he will go through Eastern Europe uh because he wants it because this is his goal I want to talk about Putin in a second you are receiving sophisticated Weapons Systems now now the high Mars um you got it but you got it late Patriot missile systems M1 Abrams Tanks.

F-16s there are some on Capitol Hill who are the other way they believe that the administration was slow walking this or was even reluctant to give this to you in time I want to ask it this way had you gotten that material those weapon systems earlier could the counter offensive have been different let's today not speak about.

The past nobody would have known what would happen if we've got something more or less I know what is happening now and now you're absolutely right there's two years of this war there's new page of this war everyone understands now what is happening the traditional Patriot systems and millions of people will be returned uh will be more protected.

Additional air defense systems will allow us to take down Russian aircrafts we're demonstrating that on the everyday basis our air defense forces are great they're taking down enemy Fighters and it means that no bombardment no shelling so air defense radio electronic warfare systems this is what helps us we've started the construction of a large.

Amount of drones but that's not enough and the United States can help us lot specifically we need high range weapons we talked about this yesterday with congressmen I talked about this with President Biden everyone understands atams for 300 kilm that would help us a lot because it's kind of an unfair War our soldiers are standing.

And our AR has a range of around 20 km because we don't have long range weapons and Russians are have have their to with a range of 40 km that's not fair so we were saying that to to our partners that we don't have this fairness but if the partners have those systems why not be why not be providing them to Ukraine and we can hear some of that.

Artillery in the background um you often have said that Ukrainian forces will never give up they'll never give up the fight but could you see a scenario where you allow Russia to maintain the 20% the current lines where we are right now but the 80% is a sovereign secure country that is a member of EU and NATO we are ready to give some.

Territories and be in EU and NATO I'm asking the question really yeah yeah I understood just to understand the UK first nobody never gave us any such propositions it's just for you and I think for audience it's very important to understand you never had that oppos no never only in media only some voices.

But no any officials proposition that is the first the second Point uh we know the history of our relations with uh Russia you remember that we had Frozen conflict when they occupied it from the very beginning Crimean part of them but they did it and we had some document some document Minsk agreement yes in Normand format Germany France Russia.

Ukraine so we had this document it was about exchange and this fire everything what now a lot of countries uh say that we need it we need this fire we need to see and have and have Frozen document and War will end no no the answer is not only about territor it's about our security he will never stop yes until he will lose in this war but he will lose.

Not the world he's losing is just to be on his territory we don't need any piece of his any meter of The Sovereign other country that means that we don't want just my signal is don't want to Pat Minsk agreement but on on on another part of our territory no any new Frozen conflicts we don't believe in it and I.

Don't trust him for the negotiation table when we've prepared document on the basis of the peace formula on the basis of proposals of other countries so we have this ready made document and then we would be able to search for a diplomat itic form how to.

Talk with the representatives of Russia whatsoever they are I believe if you don't have any steps coordinated with other partners then you can't suggest anything to Putin because he will want nothing in the strong position we found one very important diplomatic route diplomatic route it's a document when it will be ready it doesn't matter where we.

Will stay at those time at this time what I wanted to say it it doesn't matter if we will be strong in all the cases I said and if we will have the document with the with the most big countries important countries decision makers in the world on our side of course we can find political negotiations on the other side of a.

Quick break more of my exclusive interview with president zinsky and some behind the scenes with the president it's after this welcome back from carke we continue now with our exclusive coverage and interview with president salinski what do you say to somebody in the US who.

Says I'm worried about corruption I don't want to give money to some corruption everything is fair down so we wot the anti-corruption reform the EU gave us seven reforms what we have to do anticorruption reforms otherwise we couldn't get the candidate status so for today we finished about one month and a half ago two months ago.

So we finish with all this reforms everything is accepted with the people of EU on the level of presidents of e commission and Parliament all of them so that's only just a month ago yeah yeah yeah so we finished with all of it was very important the list of difficult anti-corruption reforms why difficult for us because during the war is.

Difficult to to vote everything and provide by Government after parliamentarians voting so for today everything is finished everything is clean and all of them said that all the leaders of you they all say yes so you're being transparent even before all these reforms a lot of times I said to in a White House and in EU I always said.

We are very open please I want to go back to Congress uh you do have some critics of funding vocal critics uh here's three Senators we are not as a Republican party behind unlimited unaccounted for Aid to Ukraine without any goals in mind without any sense of where the money is going we've got money Without.

End we've got enough money to pay for bureaucrat salaries we've got enough money to pay for Ukrainian government officials pensions we are paying Ukrainian farmers and yet we just punted the farm bill for American farmers next year can you respond to all that we're thankful for this support but most is military one we spend this money on.

Military so our pensioners don't need any guns first so our soldiers need and our people and at least all this the security of Europe and uh so mostly from this money maybe somebody from Senators yes you said somebody maybe they don't want to hear it but it's truth and they can ask your uh defending industry there is a study.

That says that 61% of the US funds have been used for military operations in Ukraine 31% to replenish do weapon stockpiles in the US so with that said if they came up with a plan that scaled back a little bit but you got money but maybe you didn't get the economic side would you push for that we have some financial support for uh for supporting.

Infrastructure for some bridges or for bomb shelters Etc but at least this is also the same when soldiers on the front line just for such Senators just to understand when soldiers on the front line the question is money not the first question they defending and they have to think and focus only on the front line on the enemy because they are defending.

All other civilians and they can't they don't have any time to think what's going on with their children their children their wives and they are relatives mothers and fathers they have to be also in Secure Zone bomb shelters for and for schools bomb shelters for hospitals is it what is it this is for pensioners or for for whom this all of.

Us in the front soldiers in the front line so all these all your uh support what you give this financial part that you said yes all this this is the part of Defending of Ukraine president Trump suggested making the money a loan you said uh in Munich you'd like to invite president Trump to the front lines if Trump Mr.

Trump if he will come I I'm ready even to go with him to the front line if he was here like we are yeah what would you tell him but I think his eyes first of all his eyes ears I can hear it yes will tell him what's going on first of all when why I said please come I'm I'm I'm happy to see all the candidates and all the people who are decision makers or.

Can support not to be against just to understand what the war in Ukraine means who opened this war who began it and what's going on what's around what brilliant Ukraine we had we have beautiful country but in the war it's another picture and another lives I suggest him just to come I'm ready to go with him maybe he wants alone without me.

It doesn't matter for me come see people just to speak them on the stre because you don't know how he's going to solve it in 24 or 48 hours I I can't understand how it can be he can solve this problem this tragedy with me yes of course he I will explain everything and he will explain what his thoughts maybe he he has some some ideas.

I don't know but but he will see what's going on and after that I think he will change his mind and he will understood that there is no two two sides of this war there is only one enemy and this is the position of Putin a couple more critics that I want you just to address their criticism okay you cancelled the presidential election cancel canceled.

The election no I didn't for an emergency because of the war no no no that's what they say what how do you respond okay okay first of all uh nobody cancel any elections during the war the law said that you can't provide elections and that's it it is the war law it's not me it's not my new law it's the law of Ukraine which was from the.

Very very beginning so nobody cancel it the critics would say that you by trying to hold on to power are not anxious to get to a negotiating table to end the war because you want to keep power that first well I I really didn't want to talk.

About politics because well war is much more important at any election so that's nonsense because currently I do have the largest support in M Society so if we'll have this elections right now then people will elect me so it's not that I'm you know trying to stay in power you know because I will win the elections if the.

Elections would be held now so the only way we could have the election now is to change the legislation and to understand that you can be build the infrastructure for In Line Boats then third as for the ne negotiation table I don't want to sit at a table with a person who only wishes to block and he's a motor as you know uh one of Vladimir Putin's biggest.

Political opponents Alexi naly uh died few days ago in a siberian prison mysterious circumstances you have gny uh progan who briefly challenged Putin also died mysteriously uh us Intel believes he was likely assassinated on Putin's orders as we sit here we hear the artillery do your guys tell you how many close calls there have been to take you.

Out do you know how many assassination attempts there have been on your life after fifth it it was not interesting for me after the fifth yeah really yes we had at the very beginning of uh invation they made some atempts yes trying yes but uh I I know a lot what what they do from our intelligence but really for me it's not.

Interesting now when you think about Putin you say you want to defeat him militarily do you think there's ever any chance of a regime change in Russia based on people there I think and it will be so I think so that uh it's not only militarily him when you push his positions are weak when you push on the battlefield it.

Doesn't mean that we have to De occupate by military and all our territory from 1991 it's very difficult you will lose a lot of people and a lot of time much time the long long War that's why it's more smart of course to decide to decide this question uh diplomatically but as much as you can you do some parallel roots in.

It pu is afraid only of strong and he's uh well not accepting any weakness so you have to be strong on the battlefield to prevent them from occupying anything that's first thing second his positions will be weaker if with more and more casualties the people in Russia will see those deaths they will be against this and this wave is something.

That we need we need to show informationally what is happening do you trust any agreements because back in 94 there was an agreement Ukraine gave thousands of nuclear weapons up after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and in part that was to get a security agreement with the US UK and Russia Russia obviously disre disregarded it um.

You gave up the nukes could you be sure of agreement yeah I believe only in legal agreements significant one powerful one I believe that for Ukraine being a part of member uh being part of NATO is important important for surviving if Ukraine will not stand Putin might go to other NATO countries I believe in.

Security guarantees on a bilateral level CU it involves specific sanctions weapons and actions against the aggressor and bread Frankly Speaking I believe that only the powerful Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to protect us in Europe hey Sean Hannity here hey click here to subscribe to Fox News YouTube page and catch our hottest.

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