Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky maintains a steadfast stance of defiance and unwavering belief in victory, firmly rejecting Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands for territorial concessions as a condition for a ceasefire. In an interview, Zelensky asserted that Ukraine would emerge victorious, characterizing Putin's actions as the initiation of World War Three and emphasizing the necessity of intense military and economic pressure to compel Russia to retreat. He stressed that Russia seeks to impose an alternative global way of life and alter the choices people have made for themselves.

Zelensky vehemently opposed relinquishing any Ukrainian territory, including the eastern region of Donetsk and southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. He views such concessions not merely as a loss of land, but as an act of abandonment, weakening Ukraine's position, and forsaking hundreds of thousands of its citizens. He argued that such a 'withdrawal' would deeply divide Ukrainian society and would only provide Putin with a temporary pause, allowing him to recover and potentially resume the conflict within a few years, aiming to seize more territory.

The Ukrainian president defined victory as restoring normal lives for Ukrainians, ending the bloodshed, and, more broadly, thwarting Putin's global ambitions. He believes that stopping Putin in Ukraine is a victory for the entire world, as Putin would not halt his aggression at Ukraine's borders. While acknowledging that immediately regaining all lost land to the 1991 borders would incur an unbearable human cost and that Ukraine lacks sufficient weaponry, Zelensky declared that the return of all lands is an absolute certainty, a matter of time, justice, and the preservation of Ukraine's independence, contingent on support from international partners.

Zelensky also addressed the complex relationship with US President Donald Trump, who has pushed for Ukrainian territorial concessions and reduced military aid. Recalling a previous 'diplomatic mugging' at the White House, Zelensky has since avoided public confrontations. Despite Trump's past accusations that Zelensky is a dictator who started the war, the Ukrainian leader remains resilient, emphasizing that security guarantees from the US must be institutional, requiring Congressional approval, rather than relying solely on a changing presidential administration.

The issue of holding general elections by summer, a demand from the US, was also discussed. Zelensky noted that elections were due in 2024 but are impossible under martial law. He raised numerous practical obstacles to holding elections while millions of Ukrainians are refugees abroad and significant parts of the country remain occupied by Russia, suggesting that prior security guarantees for Ukraine are a prerequisite. He challenged partners to decide if their aim is to remove him or to ensure legitimate elections recognized by the Ukrainian people and the international community.

A critical point of concern for Zelensky is the continued lack of permission from partners to manufacture American weapons under license, specifically advanced air defense systems like Patriot missiles. He stated that air defense is currently the most challenging problem and expressed frustration at the inability to produce these systems or even missiles for existing systems within Ukraine. Despite the challenges, Zelensky maintains a multi-faceted approach to the war, believing that parallel strategic efforts will ultimately lead to success in stopping Putin. He concluded with a hopeful yet realistic outlook, suggesting that while Putin may not want to end the war, that does not mean he will not be forced to.