Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told British entrepreneur and The Diary Of A CEO podcast host Stephen Bartlett that he cannot sleep in an interview. An excerpt from the conversation was published on October 22, while the full interview has not yet been released.
Asked by the host how he copes with the weight of what is happening, Zelensky replied: “It is difficult. I will be honest: I do not sleep. It is terrible, unbearable pain that I would not wish on anyone.” When Bartlett pointed out the tears in his eyes, Zelensky briefly replied: “Yes.”
“I am not ashamed of who I am. I try to be an example, but I am certainly not perfect,” the president of Ukraine added.
This is not the first time Zelensky has spoken publicly about his experiences: in an interview with Reuters in June 2026, he acknowledged that he often cries over the deaths of Ukrainians.