Zelensky stated that he has no respect for Putin or the Russian people

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained his refusal to conduct an interview in Russian.

He citing his reasons during a conversation with blogger and podcaster Lex Fridman.

“I don’t want to give [Russian President Vladimir] Putin an excuse to claim once again that we are one people and speak the same language,” Zelensky said. The Ukrainian leader added that he does not respect either the Russian leader or the Russian people.

The interview lasts over three hours. As noted by the blogger on the social media platform X, the conversation was conducted in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

Previously, it was reported that Lex Fridman suggested Zelensky do the interview in Russian, believing it would allow for “the deepest, most dynamic, and impactful conversation.” The blogger pointed out that, like Zelensky, he is fluent in Russian but is still learning Ukrainian.