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“They didn’t win. And for us, it’s a victory,” he said.
Ukraine’s president says his country has already achieved a historic success in the face of Russia’s invasion.
In an interview with Fox News, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has effectively prevailed in the war launched by Moscow, stressing that Russia failed to alter the country’s direction or identity.
He pointed to what he described as fundamental achievements since the full-scale invasion began.
“Russia could not and can’t occupy us. They did’t win. And for us, it’s a victory. We defended our independence and freedom. We could. They did not change our geopolitical view. They did not change the country. They did not change our flag on their flag. These are such important things. That’s why I am proud of it,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that the Kremlin now understands that starting the war was a serious miscalculation.
Meaning of victory
In a separate interview with the BBC a few days before the interview with Fox News, Zelenskyy expanded on what he considers victory.
He said success is not measured solely by regaining territory, but also by safeguarding lives and sovereignty.
“I believe that stopping Putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world. Because Putin will not stop at Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told the BBC.
He expressed confidence that Ukraine will eventually restore control over all its lands. However, he cautioned that attempting to do so immediately could cost millions of lives, arguing that territory without people holds little value.
Putin using talks to stall
Zelenskyy also warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be using diplomatic channels to pursue military objectives. He suggested Moscow is seeking to delay substantive peace talks.
According to Zelenskyy, Putin understands only power, and he only speaks polite with the U.S. to avoid further pressure.
“They try to play with president of the United States… He needs to postpone any kind of negotiations,” he said, referring to contacts involving Donald Trump.
Sources: Fox News, BBC
