Zelenskyy says Ukraine cannot afford a weak president right now

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told ABC News that his tough response to pressure reflects the country’s need for a strong army and a strong president during wartime. “Otherwise, they will devour us,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the American television network ABC News, aired on October 24, that Ukraine cannot afford a weak president right now. “Perhaps after the war, it can have anyone; that is the people’s choice. But now, if Ukraine wants to survive, it needs a strong army, a strong president and a strong people,” he said.

Zelenskyy acknowledged that he is sometimes not especially polite and attributed this to the pressure the country is experiencing. “That is why, of course, I will respond to any pressure on me. Because otherwise, they will devour us,” he said.

“A strong people”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy stressed that the Ukrainian people will decide who leads the country after the war ends. However, he said that while hostilities continue, the president’s firm stance is necessary for the state’s survival.

In the same interview with ABC News, Zelenskyy said he was ready to reach an agreement to end the war and freeze the conflict along the current line of contact, but stressed that Ukraine would not recognize the occupied territories as Russian.