Zelenskyy’s Interview for Il Foglio: Trump’s Peace Efforts, NATO’s Role, and Ukraine’s Nuclear Disarmament

On January 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for Il Foglio, discussing key issues such as Donald Trump’s position on the war, the failures of the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine’s need for strong security guarantees, and the impact of Russia’s war on its people. He also reflected on personal experiences, including his family’s history during World War II, the emotional toll of war, and the power of art in resisting tyranny.

Here are the key statements he made.

On Trump’s position and US leadership

“Our war is, you know, a kind of puzzle that Trump will have to solve. If he manages to do this, he’s a winner. It won’t be easy, and I sincerely hope he succeeds.”

Zelenskyy reflected on his prior meetings with Trump, noting detailed discussions on NATO, the Budapest Memorandum, and security guarantees for Ukraine.

"Trump’s message is direct—he doesn’t warn; he declares what he wants. He wants to end the war, but how that will happen remains unclear, even to him. Much depends on the kind of just peace we can achieve and whether Putin even wants peace at all—which, in my view, he doesn’t."

"I told him openly that Putin doesn’t want to stop the war. It won’t be quick, but Trump, with the strength of US sanctions, economic influence, and military power, can push toward peace faster than anyone else in the world. He has the tools and the influence."

He added, "Even China has influence, but the United States has more. Trump understands the stakes and the challenges."

On the Budapest Memorandum and security guarantees

"Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons for nothing. We traded them for war. I believe we shouldn’t have given them up, considering we were attacked. But even if that decision was made, it should have been in exchange for real security guarantees. At the time, the only real guarantee was NATO, and today, that remains true. Only NATO—a strong army and a strong security bloc—can stop an aggressor, regardless of their size, territory, or military power," Zelenskyy said.

Reflecting on the lessons learned, he emphasized, "I believe Europe is not enough. Security guarantees must include Europe plus the United States of America," Zelenskyy said.

On Israel’s evolving policies

"Israel—who truly knows what Israel has? They have money and US support, that’s a fact. Billions annually. Do they have nuclear weapons? I think they do. It’s not public information, but everyone talks about it. Here’s what’s important: who shot down rockets? US allies or NATO countries in the Middle East—like Jordan—did, along with the aviation of the US, Britain, and France. NATO? NATO is allies using all their capabilities to defend."

He added, "If we are offered similar security guarantees—not full NATO membership, but where allied armies would step in and fight alongside us—I would like to see the details. These would not be bad proposals."

Zelenskyy stressed, "So far, no country has struck back at the locations in Russia from where their missiles and aircraft launch to kill our people. Let me remind you, other countries were unhappy when we struck back—even at their military or energy targets, which was completely justified. Some even wanted to forbid us from doing that."

On relations with the Israel Goverment

Zelenskyy shared his efforts to seek support from Israel: "From the very beginning, I made hundreds of phone calls with every leader, including Israel. I asked for weapons, but they didn’t help. They said no. They wanted very much to remain balanced between Russia and us. But I think now they’re beginning to change their policy. I’m not sure—you’d better ask them—but I think it’s happening."

He concluded: "Just the other day, I met with the president of Israel in Switzerland. We have good relations with him and his family, and that’s where things stand for today."

On the mobilization in Ukraine

"Every life is its own story," Zelenskyy said, reflecting on the challenges of mobilization. "At the start of the war, it was a different situation. Most of the country was occupied, and the capital was, as they say, one step away from falling. If Kyiv had been captured, Ukraine would have been lost."

He acknowledged the exhaustion caused by prolonged war: "War tires everyone. I’m not here to compare who is a patriot and who is not. Everyone defends as best they can. I am not God to judge how people respond, and I don’t want to."

Zelenskyy emphasized the critical importance of maintaining the army: "If tomorrow, for example, half the army were to simply go home, then we should have surrendered on the first day."

On family and World War II

"For everyone, family is extremely important. We are who we are because of our family. How you were raised shapes who you become, and the people around you define who you are," Zelenskyy explained.

He spoke about his grandfather’s experience during World War II: "My grandfather lost his entire family and went through World War II. He was in the infantry. He rarely spoke about victory, because in war, victory is hard to talk about. Everyone longs for victory, but once it arrives, and you see all the losses it came with, you realize that for many, victory is simply the war ending."

Zelenskyy shared, "He continued his life despite losing his family. They defeated fascism, and that became the purpose of his life. Every 50 or 100 years, it seems, sick people emerge who bring suffering. And so it repeats, on different continents."

On the occupation of Mariupol

Zelenskyy described the horrors of Mariupol: "We had information that roughly 20,000 Russians were killed in the fighting, but I can’t confirm the exact numbers. Thousands of people were captured—4,000 of them we’ve managed to bring home, but there are still thousands more."

He highlighted a fact: "From the south—primarily Mariupol and the Kherson region—Russia has taken about 19,500 children. What’s happened to them? None of these children have been found."

Zelenskyy also recalled the devastating destruction: "Many were wounded or killed under the rubble. The scale of destruction was enormous. Entire buildings collapsed. They wanted to rebuild quickly to show the world that ‘Russia is returning.’ But it’s the same tactic they used in Grozny, Chechnya—obliterate everything and then rebuild to cover up their crimes."

On Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s support

"I have my own very good relations with Giorgia. I hope they are no worse than her relations with President Trump. For me, it’s very important that real voices—not just Ukraine’s voice but people who understand—reach President Trump and those around him. They need to know all the details of what’s happening in Ukraine and who Putin really is."

He emphasized the need for allies like Meloni: "Russia’s influence is strong—they have lobbies in Europe, the global south, and the United States. But we need the right friends to counteract this. Giorgia is one of the greatest friends of Ukraine. She has helped a lot, and I’m very thankful."

Previously, American podcaster Lex Fridman has released a three-hour interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his YouTube channel.