Second Peace Summit, strikes on Russia, and more: Key points from Zelenskyy's interview with French media

Why Russia is advancing on the battlefield

A journalist from AFP asked Zelenskyy why Russian troops continue to advance in eastern Ukraine and whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) will be able to stop them in the near future. The president explained that there are several reasons behind the Russian army's advance, and if these issues are addressed, it will be possible to halt their progress.

"We are no longer keeping it a secret that we were preparing 14 brigades. 14 brigades that we wanted to equip with weapons primarily. These brigades are meant to defend our territory and should serve as reserves so we can rotate our soldiers to give them rest, with these brigades replacing them. When we talked about and prepared the relevant packages (of Western aid - ed.), it was for equipping these 14 brigades. What do you think, if out of 14, only 3 are equipped, can we stop them? We can certainly stop them. But there is a cost because the cost is time. Time while we equip the brigades. And time is people's lives," the president said.

The second reason, according to Zelenskyy, is the fear among the Russian military of retreating. Soldiers are afraid that if they fall back, they will be shot by their own side.

"And it’s true—they are killed if they retreat. This is absolutely true. Even in the midst of the harshest challenges of war, we cannot afford to allow that. Because, you see, what are we fighting for? Then it’s unclear what we are fighting for if we don’t value this life. Do you understand? So it’s about different values. It’s certainly not about democracy, nor freedom, or anything. That’s the answer," he explained.

Additionally, the president noted that to stop the Russian army, some advantage is needed, particularly in terms of weaponry and technology. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian forces must be able to use all the weapons as needed.

On strikes on Russian territory

Explaining to French journalists the necessity of using available weaponry by the Ukrainian Armed Forces without restrictions, Zelenskyy addressed the issue of Western weapons strikes on Russian territory. He stated that Ukraine’s current inability to carry out such strikes poses a serious challenge.

"What would you do in our place? For example, if you knew that Russians, say, 30 kilometers from the border, have installations in their territory, or 30, 60, 100 kilometers away, there are aircraft bombing us. Or some kind of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) or other weapons, like Grad rockets or S-300 systems, used against us. From Belgorod, for instance, knowing that we have no right to destroy their weapons. What would you do in our place? So you have such a challenge," he emphasized.

Zelenskyy cited Kharkiv, which suffers from Russian strikes from the Belgorod region, and explained that even Patriot missiles cannot fully protect the city from attacks from Russia.

"Similarly, with Kyiv. Here you have the Okhmatdyt hospital. It’s supposedly protected, but something still gets through. And there are still casualties. So, what would you do if you knew that 50 kilometers from your border, Russian armed forces were firing, and they knew that they couldn't be fired upon? What would you do? We are wracking our brains about what to do. Because if we use our partners’ weapons and then they might say, 'We won’t give you any more assistance.' That’s the risk," the president said.

At the same time, he added that Ukraine continues to work with partners to obtain such permission, but for now, partners are hesitant to make such a decision.

"But they must understand that we live and fight. And if they don’t find a way to help us, we will find other steps. Other steps to protect our people," the president concluded.

Pokrovsk: Current target for Russia

According to Zelenskyy, the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region is currently Russia’s primary target, following their defeat in the offensive on Kharkiv.

"Their main focus is not the entire east, although Sloviansk is not excluded, but Pokrovsk, I would say today, is their priority. The Pokrovsk direction and the city of Pokrovsk. Of course, there is also Konstyantynivka, they are targeting Toretsk, and they have plans for Sloviansk, but all of this is still in the planning stage. The largest number of personnel, the largest amount of weapons and ammunition, everything they have, they are concentrating today on the Pokrovsk direction," the president stated.

On half-sanctions and half-measures from the West

The president criticized the West for "half-sanctions" and "half-measures" regarding Russia.

"If we didn’t have half-sanctions and half-measures, we would have already stopped Putin. Definitely stopped him. The world is much stronger, much larger, much more powerful, principled, economically stronger. I’m not only talking about military strength, but also political and economic," Zelenskyy told French journalists.

In his view, if Russia's energy sector and "everything" had been blocked, it would not have survived.

"Why? Putin is afraid of his own society, I’ve said this many times. And that means we need to make his society understand what war is. And how can they understand that? Well, how? They need to feel it. They need to be isolated from the rest of the world. They need to understand that there is no economy strong enough for all their enterprises to suffer, for their business to stagnate. Because without export, they won’t have enough. They will consume everything they have in Russia, and then they’ll turn on each other. But it’s only half-sanctions. Everything is half," he explained.

Russia and the second Peace Summit

Ukraine, together with its partners, aims to prepare a peace plan by the end of November to present at the second Peace Summit, which Russia will be invited to attend, as "the whole world" wants, Zelenskyy told French media.

"There will be territorial integrity, sovereignty, and so on. This plan will be ready by the second Summit... Most of the world today says that representatives of Russia should be at the second Summit, otherwise, we won’t achieve powerful results... I said I don’t want them to block our process of preparing a joint plan. We will prepare it with you, and it will be on the table. And, please, if the whole world wants them at the table, we can’t be against it, because it’s important for us to stop them," the president said.

When asked by a French journalist whether Ukraine's return to the borders of 1991 would be a mandatory precondition for peace talks with Russia, Zelenskyy replied that it is desirable but not obligatory.

"It doesn’t mean that at this moment we will be at the 1991 borders. That’s the answer to your question. No, it doesn’t mean that. Yes, I believe it is fair, and a just peace for Ukraine is to fully restore our territorial integrity. But it doesn’t mean that it will be achieved only through weapons. I believe that today we stand on the front line, while Russia wants to fight, there will be a ready plan, we will have a strong position, and the whole world, most countries, will agree with this plan and it will be on the table. Then, please, we can resolve these issues diplomatically if Russia wants," the head of state explained.

On China

Additionally, Zelenskyy explained to French journalists what role he would like China to play in the process of ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. According to him, this does not involve mediation.

"If China wants, it can compel Russia to stop this war. This is how we talk about the whole world. China is an integral part of this world, one of the influential powers. I would like them not to take on a mediating role. I would like them to put pressure on Russia to end the war. Just as the United States puts pressure. Just as the EU puts pressure. And the stronger the state, the stronger the pressure should be on Russia, not the other way around. It seems to me that then we will see a result, quickly," he said.

On the US election

Commenting on the upcoming US presidential election, where current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be competing for the Oval Office, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is in contact with both teams. However, he emphasized that it will no longer be the Biden administration.

"The situation today, our dialogue, has been normal, absolutely adequate. What will happen after the elections, we do not know. We cannot predict it with 100% certainty. And I only hope that the US society, which I consider the most powerful institution of civil society, will have an impact on all other institutions. It is still a serious democratic country with very serious decentralization, where power is not only central," the president added.