In an exclusive interview with French public television, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Vladimir Putin “fears nothing but Donald Trump,” considering that Washington alone possesses real pressure cards capable of curbing Moscow. These statements come as the Russian war on Ukraine enters its fourth year, amid a continuing escalation in targeting infrastructure, and increasing suffering for millions due to the extreme cold and power outages, while peace efforts continue to collide with a complex field reality and fragile international balances.

Published on: 05/02/2026 - 09:09

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed in an exclusive interview with the French channel (France 2) on Wednesday evening in the capital, Kiev, that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, “fears nothing but (US President) Donald Trump.”

Zelensky said: “Putin does not fear European leaders, and he only fears Trump. This is the truth,” noting that Washington has decisive pressure tools, from economic sanctions to supplying Ukraine with weapons and diplomatic pressure. Zelensky continued: "Trump knows that he has these tools to pressure him and should not accept all of Putin's conditions."

This exclusive dialogue comes just a few days before the Russian-Ukrainian war enters its fourth year without the situation changing on the field. At a time when Russian missiles continue to target Ukrainian electrical stations and power generation, making millions of Ukrainians live under the severity of the cold due to the absence of heating and in the dark.

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“Our teams are currently working to end the war.”

Zelensky said in this particular regard: “Russia is exploiting the winter to increase the suffering of the Ukrainians, in an attempt to force them to accept what some American allies call a settlement.” Regarding the efforts being made to stop the war, the Ukrainian president stressed: “Our teams are currently working to end this war, but on the ground, Moscow continues its policy of attrition by targeting infrastructure and deepening the suffering of civilians.”

Regarding the concessions that Ukraine could make to end the war, Zelensky responded, saying: “Freezing the front line while maintaining our current positions is a very big concession on our part,” calling for “mutual concessions.”

Read also: Tripartite negotiations on Ukraine, continuation of the war in other ways according to Russian doctrine

He continued: "If we are talking about an economic zone, our military forces must retreat, and the Russians must do the same. But if we are talking about a demilitarized zone, we must control our part, but at the same time there must be an international force to separate the two parties and ensure security."

55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the war

Regarding the number of Ukrainians killed, whether on the combat fronts or in cities and villages, the Ukrainian president admitted that the toll is very heavy. “Official figures indicate that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the war, whether regular soldiers or conscripts,” says Zelensky, who believes that the Russian threat extends beyond his country and may reach European countries. He said: “If Ukraine does not stop Putin, he will invade Europe,” warning at the same time of Russia’s military capabilities, whether they are long-range drones or missiles capable of hitting any target in depth.

Regarding Putin's lack of fear of the Europeans, Zelensky replied that the Europeans "have been living since the end of World War II in a safe world that they created themselves, in peace and in a democratic system that respects peoples, unlike Russia. Europe is not as violent."

France 24

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