The next is a transcript of an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy airing Sunday, April 3, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He joins us from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Good afternoon, sir.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, Russian forces seem like withdrawing from the north of Ukraine. Do you assume this implies Putin's calculus is altering?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Thanks for this query. You already know, MARGARET, we- they've pulled out from some localities. In others they're redoing the redeployment as a result of the conflict- the scenario is tough. There have been some communities that they have been making an attempt to take a number of instances, and it is a tragedy as a result of our military needed to take again as properly. So the town of Chornobaivka- 9 instances they tried to take it over. However we expect that is the redeployment, in our opinion. They're altering the ways now. They have been making an attempt to take Kyiv and a few cities in Kyiv area. A few of them have been occupied after which they destroyed all the pieces. The civilians, the homes, they have been stealing washing machines and tools. In order that they have been torturers as properly. I believe the clips that we shared with you, you might have seen for your self. It is essential for the free individuals of the US to take a look at it and underst- and see for themselves. Earlier than the struggle when there was a number of free time, we have been watching completely different movies and likewise struggle motion pictures. However we could not have imagined something like this as a result of it is a maniac sort of determination to just- to destroy the entire nation. Effectively, in- when it comes to the tacts- ways and them pulling out and what the technique of the- of Putin is, they're now focusing within the east of Ukraine. So this hall, which goes from the Crimea to the east of Ukraine, that is within the south of Ukraine. And that is the place they're making an attempt to focus when it comes to armament, when it comes to deploying their personnel, the Chechen troops occupying the cities. They have been bringing individuals in from completely different components of the world as a result of they have been in deficit of their personnel and now they're grouping all of those troops within the south and east of our nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The photographs you are speaking about have been described by leaders all over the world as horrific. The mayor of Kyiv used the time period genocide. Your vice prime minister is asking if that is fascism or genocide when it comes to what has been left round Kyiv. Do you are feeling that the world will really make good on this promise to carry Vladimir Putin to account for struggle crimes?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Every little thing must be truthful and in accordance with justice, because the civilized world will determine. We imagine in justice, within the justice of the Western world of- and subsequently, the query isn't solely in regards to the chief of Russian Federation. We would not assume that it will be truthful to take solely him. I believe all of the navy commanders, everybody who gave directions and orders needs to be punished adequately. The ample punishment to those individuals is tough to be achieved. It must be carried out in accordance with the regulation and what they've carried out. And I wish to apologize to you and to these people who find themselves watching us now, however for some issues that they've carried out. After we discover individuals with- with palms tied behind their again and decapitated. Such issues I do not perceive. I do not comprehend the children who have been killed and tortured. So it wasn't sufficient simply to kill for these criminals. Perhaps they needed to take gold or washing machines they usually have been killing, however they have been additionally torturing them as they did this. And your query is completely truthful, however I haven't got the reply. I do not know what regulation or what imprisonment time period could be ample for this. As the daddy of two childr- youngsters and as a president, I believe that these individuals, if they're put behind the bars, that is one too little for what they've carried out.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is that this genocide?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Certainly, that is genocide. The elimination of the entire nation and the individuals. We're the residents of Ukraine. We now have greater than 100 nationalities. That is in regards to the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities. We're the residents of Ukraine and we do not wish to be subdued to the coverage of Russian Federation. That is the rationale we're being destroyed and exterminated, and that is occurring within the Europe of the twenty first century. So that is the torture of the entire nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Within the Donbas southeast space of your nation, the town of Mariupol, are you having any success getting civilians out?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Many individuals, many hundreds of individuals have been evacuated. In sure cities, 35, 30, 40,000 have been evacuated. So altogether, a whole lot of hundreds. However however, there are nonetheless a whole lot of thousand stay blocked. A few of them are blocked or behind the bars. To reply to your query about Mariupol, earlier than the start of this full-fledged struggle and the occupation of Mariupol, there have been a number of individuals and all of the corridors have been blocked, together with humanitarian corridors, the provision of meals and water. So on this metropolis now, there's 150,000- a number of useless our bodies on the street. Numerous wounded individuals among the many navy and civilians. The evacuation occurs solely when the Russian facet agrees to a Ukrainian proposal to open a hall. So the hall for the meals or water merely don't exist in these cities which can be occupied by Russia. The hall that we agree on with the Russian facet to easily let the individuals go. A few of them are strolling by foot, dozens of kilometers to achieve the place the place we- we're. So 120 kilometers strolling in foot- is solely unimaginable. Lots of them have been strolling. Lots of them have died on the- on their approach. A few of them needed to be picked up by different individuals and brought out from these blocked cities. So on the each day foundation, each day, we're placing ahead the proposal not solely to unblock however at the very least to ship the transportation there. So many individuals have been shot at and- and killed. We have been sending these individuals with- these convoys with journalists and monks. We thought that these individuals is not going to be capturing on the church representatives so at first our individuals weren't afraid. So then all of that was blocked and- and folks have been shot at. In order that's the one factor now. They- solely after they agree and open up the town, the individuals begin operating as they will. However no meals, no water may be introduced in. So it is a humanitarian catastrophe there.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, your staff shared with us a video, photographs that your authorities has gathered of what has been left behind exterior of Kyiv that I do wish to share with our viewers. And I wish to ask you about it. And searching and listening to what Vladimir Putin has mentioned. He is referred to as Ukraine not an actual nation. He mentioned it is managed by little Nazis. He is referred to as you a drug-addled thug. Is he somebody you'll be able to negotiate with?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Because the president of Ukraine, they can't be simply my private view about President Putin and a dialogue with the Russian Federation. I've to face for the pursuits of my nation. So it is tough to say how, after all- what has been carried out, we are able to have any type of negotiations with Russia. That is on the non-public degree. However as a president, I've to do it. Any struggle has to finish. Simply finish. I am not speaking about ending this with peace, as a result of peace on this scenario when there are literally thousands of individuals killed, is one thing that I am not effective with. However there's no- every other approach. That is- I am saying as a president, there is no every other approach, however the dialogue, if we do not need a whole lot of hundreds, thousands and thousands to die. Nevertheless it's essential to have the settlement between the 2 sides and understanding or at the very least the need to grasp that we have to have a dialogue. As a result of we will stand till the tip. And so they have to grasp this. So I am- preserve speaking about this dialogue, one thing that I've been repeating all through my time period as a president.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Russia's peace negotiator mentioned in the present day Ukraine has agreed to plenty of phrases: staying impartial, not becoming a member of a navy bloc and refusing to host navy bases. Do you might have at this level any factors of settlement with Russia?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: The representatives can't agree- or not agree. They'll focus on completely different views and prospects concerning the attainable future settlement between the 2 sides, so put ahead the proposals, have discussions, focus on sure objects. As a result of solely the president can endorse this- or not simply the president, however the entire nation. So the approval might be carried out on the extent of the leaders of the nation right here. The essential factor on this settlement are safety ensures. Safety ensures ought to embrace a circle of nations who might be supporting our nation. And in case there's an aggression by Russia towards Ukraine, these leaders in these international locations might be helping Ukraine in numerous capacities, following sure safety situations that must be agreed between these safety guarantor states. And this settlement is about such safety ensures that- which might make us protected. Russia additionally places ahead proposals or situations, however most essential that it's not ultimatum because it was once, as a result of at first they have been excited about taking on the nation simply within the matter of three days. And so they were- we see how they're behaving now. They have been going to exterminate all of us. And we did not permit them to do that. We protected our individuals, our nation. So such safety ensures on this settlement will give- will- Ukraine will take a non-nuclear, non-bloc standing, impartial standing. However on the identical time, Ukraine could have the membership within the European Union. So there are different conditions- so financial situations following the values of the European Union, that are very near the Ukrainian individuals. So it is tough for me to touch upon this query. I believe they've had arguments throughout negotiations on different objects. We predict that the events are very near reaching an settlement. We don't imagine that Russia will have the ability to adhere to the situations that we're negotiating proper now. However as I mentioned, with out dialogue, we can not put an finish to the struggle. So they're discussing, they're arguing, however they're nonetheless shifting ahead concerning these components and these sanctions in negotiations with Russia.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When it comes to safety ensures, the US has given safety assurances to Ukraine prior to now and that didn't cease this invasion. While you lately spoke with President Biden, did he make you any type of concrete promise that the US and NATO would not let this occur to Ukraine once more?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I want to thank the US and Biden administration and their bipartisan help in all the pieces they're doing for us. However however, the US haven't supplied the safety ensures to us. You need to perceive this as a president of the nation in struggle. The US is our strategic accomplice and they're supporting us. However safety ensures is when you might have an enforceable doc. Even the Budapest Memorandum was a- a treaty. We now have given away our nuclear energy and it was only a piece of paper. It wasn't a safety assure, though there was a circle of nations who acted as a guarantor in case our sovereignty and territorial settlement is violated. So we do not imagine in papers any longer. So we're very grateful for the help of the US. Certainly, and it is a very highly effective help. However when it comes to safety ensures, now we have not obtained them but from anybody and now we have to get them. For us it is vital additionally what the circle of nations who might be offering the safety ensures goes to be and the way particularly this might be enforced. So how this may work in actuality, as a result of even NATO international locations don't totally perceive what's going to occur if Russia will assault NATO international locations, these smaller international locations like Baltic international locations, stunning international locations. They're our associates. However they're afraid. They don't seem to be assured that tomorrow the world will defend them from Russia if something occurs. Why I am saying very actually this, as a result of we are able to see from what Russia is doing, no matter Russia is talking out, they're then doing this afterward. So simply take heed to what they are saying. They are saying that- it- it- the nation must should be a sovereign nation. It isn't- as a result of not all international locations, in accordance with them, should be sovereign. So the world is standing with the sturdy ones. That is the place they're staying. The- the politicians are saying this. The entourage of the Russian president is making such state- assertion. And you can't simply reply to this by stating your considerations. That is what occurred in our case. Solely the considerations, that somebody is anxious about this. That is one too little, one too small. And that is why these small international locations, they do not know what's going to occur tomorrow. Will the NATO international locations defend the Baltic states if Russian Federation will invade? As a result of there was an settlement that- that as a result of there was an settlement allegedly that NATO is not going to advance to the east. That is what Russian argument was. So that is why nobody has 100% assurance about what the long run holds. Whereas- whereas we of the current day, now we have the struggle. So I am not, as a president, glad with simply assurance as a result of then I do not know what the settlement goes to be about and whether or not we could have an settlement with Russia. What are we going to agree about? Who're going to be the guarantors? As a result of if tomorrow the struggle begins once more, and solely sanctions could have been launched, properly, that is about nothing. As a result of sanctions are essential. They can not cease the aggression. And we do not want such ensures. I would like authorized, highly effective ensures the place there was an outline in regards to the weapons, human issue, sanction coverage and prevention- preventive sort of response, not solely after individuals might be killed. Not after we had eight years of struggle in Donbas with ups and downs, after which out of the blue, you might have a full fledged struggle from Russian Federation. Now we're fascinated with actual, enforceable ensures. May be 5 international locations, guarantors. Perhaps even three could have a full fledged protection for Ukraine and will- might be concerned to guard Ukraine. Then we are able to sit down across the desk with Russia after which solely I perceive what this dialogue is about with Russia. And this might be a logical answer. I do not know for what number of years, however at the very least I will come out to individuals and say, now we have to attempt to come again to regular life to- to take again the life that was given to us. And that is what it is about.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Russia appears very on this resource-rich a part of jap Ukraine. I ponder, will you accept something lower than a full withdrawal of Russian troops from each inch of Ukrainian soil?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: That is the naked minimal that now we have to start out the deoccupation with. It needs to be 100% withdrawal of troops to the borders that existed previous to the twenty fourth of February, at the very least. This is able to make us to at least- to start out discussing different questions in regards to the deoccupation, about how de we live- stay on after this. We now have our dialogue with them. So I am unable to also have a assembly when the shelling is occurring. So first the stop hearth. Then we are able to have a gathering with the Russian president. If they've the- an strategy that they- he is making this authoritarian selections, what do we want this bloodshed, drama, efficiency for? Let's merely sit down collectively the 2 of us. We'll focus on a cut-off date when the tip of the struggle will come, and after we focus on the safety ensures collectively and the- the impartial, non-bloc standing, however preserving our sovereignty, our sturdy military. And if that settlement might be violated, we have to have the likelihood to defend ourselves. After we focus on this, then all of the troops must be withdrawn. After they're withdrawn, then we are able to sit along with the international locations and they'll act because the guarantors of the safety. As a result of the- how are you going to think about leaders of the worldwide international locations assembly on the time when the tanks might be nonetheless on our territory? So the weapons and the cannons and the tanks, can not dictate us, what the long run might be for Ukraine. That is what Russia began after they began the struggle.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, you're asking the US for heavy weapons, for planes, for Patriot missile programs, the type of factor that would shoot down incoming Russian missiles. You have requested for the Iron Dome system that Israel has. All of these items take years of coaching. Are you anticipating the struggle to tug on for years?
PRESIDENT ZELESNKYY: There may be- there are sorts of weapons that won't scale back the protection system of any NATO nation whether it is transferred to Ukraine. So as a result of the US may affect among the NATO international locations in Europe and cross this weaponry to us. As a result of this was transferred to them a while in the past as a help of the US to these international locations. For a lot of of that navy tools is again from the Soviet instances. So it- it- it was even manufactured in the US. It was constructed even in Russian navy factories and Ukrainian navy factories. So I see no drawback in transferring that sort of navy tools to us. After which we need not spend any time for coaching as a result of we all know that sort of weaponry very properly and that is- may be carried out in a short time. That might be a swift help and really fast help. And I believe the US may affect that call and lots of European international locations may make it occur. Particularly these European international locations who were- have been in- within the relationship with the previous Soviet Union. And there is a number of that weaponry there. And as a naked minimal they might care- may share this with us, which they're doing. However the tempo isn't very quick. We're dropping individuals. We- and the persons are extra worthwhile than any tools that they could have shared. When it comes to these- of enormous scale programs produced by the US and different international locations, we're wanting ahead certainly for this type of help, however sadly that's much more difficult than the earlier objects that I've talked about. When it comes to fighter jets or bombers, any planes that would assist us very a lot. They may rescue lives, and Russia would not have the benefit within the sky. Sadly, we can not obtain this. And it is about NATO place. We now have been speaking for such a very long time that NATO- that Ukraine can't be part of NATO. And so they preserve emphasizing this to us when they're saying that NATO international locations can not switch all the pieces they wish to us as a result of NATO international locations can't be a part of this struggle. Though I want to repeat this once more, that you just can not stand within the center between the evil and the great, the white and the black. This would possibly not occur. You continue to must take sides.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, are you altering ways on this struggle? At present there have been blasts which were heard in a Russian metropolis close to the Ukrainian border. There was the same assault the US mentioned Ukraine carried out just some days in the past.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: We're not altering the ways. We're preventing for our nation on our terrain. We now have had comparable issues prior to now a number of years, and that is the fearmongering that they have been utilizing within the occupied territories. So the Donbas, they have been exhibiting completely different clips of explosions as if we have been capturing at one thing. However nobody may show this with the satellite tv for pc imagery as a result of they have been turning their weapon 180 levels and capturing at their very own house- housing blocks. So I am not even listening to these type of insinuations by Russian Federation. Typically, I believe within the occupied Donbas some individuals could not have recognized what the truth was, however however, we do understand how these militia was appearing. Even once we agreed in regards to the ceasefire on the contact line that we used to manage between the Donbas and the momentary occupied territories, they'd nonetheless discover a chance to place an finish to this. They'd flip their weapon 180 levels and shoot at their very own metropolis. And the escalation would- could be triggered like this. So there's no- any ways of that kind. We're not preventing on a international soil. There- there aren't any weapons or personnel of Ukraine on the Belarussian or Russian soil. And through the first days, we have been exhibiting the clips to the entire world and everybody noticed the missiles, cruise missiles coming from Belarus. And there's satellite tv for pc imagery to show this. And other people have been making movies on their smartphones, even individuals in Belarus. They are not supporting this struggle towards us. So even nationalists in Belarus have been making movies of this, missiles flying in and the helicopters, by the way in which, who have been bombing those self same cities that you just talked about within the very beginning- that these clips are from that you just have been exhibiting to- to your viewers. And even at the moment, we weren't responding with our air protection system. We're not capturing at Belarus even throughout these circumstances, as a result of this isn't our ways. This isn't the strategy that we comply with.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, you've got been beneficiant along with your time. We're so glad that you could possibly be part of us. And we hope that you just and your loved ones stay secure.
PRESIDENT ZELESNKYY: Thanks very a lot to your time. Take a excellent care of yourselves, your households and the peace that you've got in the US. Do not forget about Ukraine. Please assist us preserve. Maintain- carry on serving to us. We now have the identical values. We now have the identical coloration of blood. And we're preventing for freedom and we are going to win certainly. And thanks very a lot.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thanks. FACE THE NATION might be again in a single minute. Stick with us.