Zelenskyy on Russian Nuclear Threats, Territorial Concessions, and Peace Talks in an Interview With Le Parisien

On December 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed key issues surrounding the war in an interview with Le Parisien, including the conditions for negotiations with Vladimir Putin, the possibility of territorial compromises, nuclear threats from Moscow, and the role of the West in pressuring Russia.

Here are the key statements he made.

On negotiations with Putin

Zelenskyy underscored that no global leader has the right to negotiate with Putin on Ukraine’s behalf.

"But I insist: no leader in the world has the right to hold talks with Putin without Ukraine. We have never delegated this mandate to anyone. We are the victims. It would be unfair if everyone started telling us how a country should live. The French in France, the Italians in Italy or the Americans in the United States know what they want for themselves. The Ukrainians too," he said.

Zelenskyy also pointed out that engaging in talks prematurely would only empower Putin to dictate terms across Eastern Europe.

“I do not consider that we are in a position of weakness, but we are not in a position of strength either. Are we in NATO? We do not know. Will we be part of the European Union? Yes, in the future, but when? Sitting down at the table with Putin under these conditions would mean giving him the right to decide everything in our part of the world.”

On territorial concessions

When asked about compromising on Crimea or Donetsk region, even temporarily, Zelenskyy firmly rejected the notion.

"We cannot give up our territories. The Ukrainian Constitution forbids us to do so,” he said.

Acknowledging the current challenges, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine lacks the military capacity to retake all occupied territories for now, leaving diplomatic pressure as the primary strategy.

“De facto, these territories are now controlled by the Russians. We do not have the strength to regain them. We can only count on diplomatic pressure from the international community to force Putin to come to the negotiating table," Zelenskyy stated.

On Western support

Zelenskyy emphasized that a strong and united West is critical to stopping Russian aggression.

“If the war continues, it does not mean that we are helping Ukraine too much. On the contrary, it is because there is not enough aid,” he said.

“We are grateful for what we have received, but we must be helped even more. This is an investment in the defense of Europe. If Ukraine loses, Russia will attack other European countries, including NATO members. This is inevitable.”

On Putin’s nuclear threats

Responding to questions about whether Putin’s nuclear threats frighten him, Zelenskyy replied:

“Only fools are not afraid of weapons. Vladimir Putin has lost his mind, his missile launches prove it. His threats should scare the whole world. There is talk of nuclear war!”

He called for firm action to deter such threats:

“All possible sanctions should be taken to prevent any leader from even thinking about it, Putin as well as anyone else. Unfortunately, we do not see enough firm reactions to him.”

On Donald Trump

Zelenskyy also addressed US President-elect Donald Trump’s claim that he could end the war in 24 hours.

“It is not easy. He is very keen to move quickly. I heard him with Emmanuel Macron in Paris, but also during a bilateral meeting in September. He will go into some details in depth when he can really do so. For the moment, he is not yet in the White House and cannot have access to all the information: intelligence, the Ministry of Defense, certain diplomatic channels. When he is there, we will be able to speak the same language, with the same level of information,” Zelenskyy said.

He also noted his determination not to let Ukraine be rushed into decisions that would harm its sovereignty.

“No matter how many presidents or prime ministers want to decree the end of the war, we are not going to simply give in and give up our independence. The danger would be to say: We are freezing the war and we will reach an agreement with the Russians.”

On Ukraine’s winter challenges

As winter looms, Zelenskyy described the ongoing power cuts in Ukraine and how the Ukrainian people are coping.

"We have generators. We also have the possibility of importing electricity from the European Union, but this involves risks because Russia is hitting these import channels. Of course, we have our own gas, the extraction of which is sufficient to ensure the needs of the population, but of course, Russia is hitting and will continue to hit these distribution centers," he said.

Zelenskyy stressed the need for more air defense systems and long-range capabilities to protect Ukraine's infrastructure.

"In short, we need more air defense systems, more physical protection, but also more possibilities to hit Russia from a long distance."

On claims of aiding Syrian rebels

Zelenskyy also dismissed reports suggesting Ukraine is providing military aid to Syrian opposition forces.

“No, we do not have any official information in this regard. We talked about humanitarian aid. We are ready to help the Syrian population in terms of food, with our cereals or corn,” he said.

Earlier in December, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that if Ukraine were to join NATO during Russia’s ongoing war, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which ensures collective defense, might not apply to the entirety of Ukraine's territory.