"The security of the world is at stake" if Russia advances further, and U.S. President Donald Trump should visit Ukraine to witness Russia's war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CBS News released on April 13.
"The security of the world is at stake. If we do not stand firm, he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) will advance further. It is not just idle speculation; the threat is real," Zelensky said.
"(P)lease, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see (the) people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead. Come, look, and then... let's move with a plan... to finish the war," Zelensky added.
Zelensky has repeatedly publicly invited Trump to visit Ukraine in the past. Earlier on April 13, Zelensky called for increased international pressure on Russia in response to a Russian attack on Sumy, which killed at least 34 and injured 117 people.
"(W)e can't trust Russia. We can't trust negotiations with Russia," he said.
Zelensky condemned Putin for Russia's war against Ukraine and said he could not be trusted in ceasefire negotiations.
"Putin? 100% hatred. Not even 99.9%. Though this doesn't mean we shouldn't work to end the war as soon as possible and transition to diplomacy. But how else can you see a person who came here and murdered our people, murdered children," Zelensky said.
Russia's war against Ukraine could spread to the rest of the world if Russian troops make further advances, Zelensky added.
"Putin's ultimate goal is to revive the Russian Empire and reclaim territories currently under NATO protection. And the United States being part of NATO means it will be involved in any potential conflict. Considering all of this, I believe it could escalate into a world war," he said.
The president urged people in the U.S. to avoid falling for Russian narratives and decried those who fail to recognize that Ukraine is the country that was invaded.
"I believe, sadly, Russian narratives are prevailing in the U.S. How is it possible to witness our losses and our suffering, to understand what the Russians are doing, and to still believe that they are not the aggressors, that they did not start this war? This speaks to the enormous influence of Russia's information policy on America," Zelensky said.
Zelensky condemned U.S. Vice President JD Vance for trying to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said he would not entertain Russian propaganda presented to him.
"It's a shift in tone, a shift in reality, really yes, a shift in reality, and I don't want to engage in the altered reality that is being presented to me," Zelensky said when asked about his visit to the White House on Feb. 28.
Dominic Culverwell
(Updated: )
