Consider This from NPR - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy sits down with NPR

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's consider this where every day we go deep on one big news story. Today, NPR sits down with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. He is responding to President Trump's truth social post that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to an energy ceasefire. News that came as a surprise to Zelensky, who says Russia has continued attacks on his country. But he added that if Russia doesn't agree to an energy ceasefire, Ukraine will respond. Because I hope that Trump will push Putin to energy ceasefire because we need hope, because we want to end this war. We need some steps of de-escalation. But the steps from the escalation doesn't mean our steps.

Starting point is 00:00:42 Yes? It's more about Russia. Consider this. It is unclear what's next in the war in Ukraine. Our correspondent in Kiev sits down and interviews Zelensky to discuss the war, weapons, and his relationship with President Trump. From NPR, I'm Scott Detra. It's consider this from NPR. Ukraine's president, Vlomir Zelensky, sat down with NPR for a wide-ranging interview today, and he said a lot.

Starting point is 00:01:33 For one thing, Zelensky said the Trump administration has warned that the U.S. may end intelligence sharing with Ukraine unless Ukraine halts long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. President Trump blames these strikes for the high cost of diesel in the U.S. and has lifted sanctions on Russian diesel. Zelensky says this will only prolong the war and kill more Ukrainians. Zelenskyi talked to NPR's Ukrainian correspondent, Joanna Kikis, in Kiev. She's with us now. Hey, Joanna. Hey, Scott, how's it going?

Starting point is 00:02:04 I'm good. You just saw Zelensky in person. What were your impressions? So, you know, we met in this ornate room in the presidential office. It's a place that's heavily fortified, you know, Russia bombs Kiev every day now. so the president needs these secure kinds of locations to live in and to stay in. Zelensky was confident. He was relaxed.

Starting point is 00:02:24 He was funny. He did wear a suit, though he didn't wear a tie. And today he was very focused on wanting to remind Americans that Ukraine is an ally, one that is worth protecting and investing in, because in the last week, President Trump has blamed Ukraine for high fuel costs, as you mentioned. And President Trump has said Zelensky doesn't want peace. And Trump once again called for Ukrainians to ditch Zubank. Zelensky, through elections, by holding elections. Zelensky told me he has only one thing on his

Starting point is 00:02:51 mind right now. I want to end this war. I have only one goal to end this war as quick as possible. And I'm focusing on it. When somebody wants to change me, no, of course I'm not comfortable. It's understandable. I think it's understandable for a lot of different people, leaders. So President Zelensky was really careful not to criticize President Trump while acknowledging that there is tension between them. Yeah, and a lot of that tension right now has to do with Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel. He says this will bring down prices. What did Zelensky say about this? Well, here's what Zelensky told me today. The decision of President of the United States. So this volume of diesel, of course, will not influence on the price in the United

Starting point is 00:03:48 States. I'm sure, yeah, because the volume is not enough, but it's quite enough for Russia to spend more time, sorry, more money, much money, on the war. So he's saying, like, you know, the Americans won't see the benefit of lifting sanctions on Russian diesel at the gas pump that they won't see the prices go down, but Ukraine will pay the price. It's going to be suffering a prolonged war as a result. And Trump dropped those sanctions on Russian diesel on Friday because fuel prices have gone up so much in the U.S. It's a big election issue. He blamed Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries for those price hikes. What did Zelensky say about that? Well, he told me that the driving force is actually another war,

Starting point is 00:04:33 the one in Iran, which has caused a main fuel transport route, the Strait of Hormuz, to be blocked. Mostly people in the world know why their prices on any kind of energy, including diesel, raised up, why they increased, because of Ormos, because of blocking the Strait of Ormos. Everybody understands it. So you called President Trump's diesel, Russian Diesel announcement, a weak decision by a strong partner. So explain why you believe your strong partner, or at least historically, is making a weak decision that benefits Moscow. Why do you think it happened? I don't know all the reasons. And it's pity. I think that we have to be true partners, strategic partners, and very strong, because I know that

Starting point is 00:05:29 the United States is very strong, and I hope United States understands that we are strong partners. also. Now, Zelensky said repeatedly that Ukraine is always open to assisting the United States, whether it's through economic partnerships or sharing Ukraine's cutting-edge defense technology, which it's innovated during the last three or four years. Now, Zelensky says Ukraine is grateful for what the U.S. offers to, including the sharing of intelligence that helps Ukraine spot ballistic missiles, which actually just fell here just before you called. Now, did Zelensky confirm that U.S. intelligence sharing has stopped? Well, Zelensky told me that it hasn't happened yet, but that there has been a warning that it might.

Starting point is 00:06:15 They told my generals, not to me. Yeah. But if to honest, did we get any messages that it can be stopped if, if, yes? Yeah. Yes, my generals told me that on the level of military people, they've got this information. Yeah, like they've said that they're threatening to stop it. So they've got the information that it can be stopped. And President Trump said today that actually the intelligence sharing hasn't stopped.

Starting point is 00:06:45 He confirmed that. But, you know, if Donald Trump does change his mind, and that's what Ukraine is worried about, if that happens, it could be disastrous for Ukrainians. That is NPR's Joanna Kikis in Kiev with reporting in an interview with President Zelensky. Thank you so much. You're welcome. This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez Hansa and Jeffrey Piers. with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro. Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by

Starting point is 00:07:12 Tara Neal, Hannah Block, and Tinbeat Armius. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorney. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Scott Detrow.

Consider This from NPR - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy sits down with NPR

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