“I insisted. I wrote to him every day.” A foreigner told how he was able to record an exclusive with Zelensky

“How did you manage to do an interview with the president? I’ve been in television journalism for 20 years and haven’t had such an opportunity – only with the first lady. And you already have an exclusive with Vladimir Zelensky,” Padalko asked.

“I think the Office of the President understands the influence of independent journalism, especially that which is completely online. In general, the state here is very digital. They actively work with social networks. And after I was given the Digital Ambassador award for the New Year, I think they simply appreciated that I work here constantly and clearly on the side of Ukraine without this balance of the two sides. But I myself really insisted. When I received the contact of a person who could help with the interview, I wrote to him every day, really, every day,” said Robertson.

He admitted that he was refused every time.

“A few weeks ago, when I woke up at seven in the morning, there was a beautiful sunrise and I had a feeling – today. I wrote: “I’m in Kyiv, it’s a beautiful day. I know that Zelensky is here, we can do an interview.” And he replied: “Tomorrow,” the journalist admitted. “It was very sudden. My operator was out of town. I only had a phone. I couldn’t film an interview with the president on the phone.”

According to Robertson, he was then able to quickly find a Ukrainian operator.

“I went to all the rental shops, took the equipment, carried these cameras around the city myself, and we filmed this interview. It was very impromptu, but cool,” he admitted. “After the recording, we just talked for about 10-15 minutes, and he seemed to see my reports. I’ve interviewed politicians before, but with him it was different. I didn’t feel like I was sitting opposite a politician. This was a man who sincerely loves his country, very emotional, very involved. So the last question is my I asked not about politics. I asked not as a president, not as a politician, but as a father, a son, a husband, how he felt after all these years. And it was a very strong, very human ending.”

Robertson said that the president's team did not ask him to show them the material before publication, although he himself expected it.

“I thought that I would have to send a list of questions for approval and they would tell me: “This is possible, this is not.” But the only thing they asked was to give a general understanding of the topics in order to prepare. I said what I wanted to talk about, and that’s it. And when we sat down, after a few minutes I just put the notebook on the floor. And no one even paid attention to this, and I started asking everything I wanted. I asked any questions. After the interview they called me and asked if I had received everything I needed,” he added.

Robertson admitted that he edited the video himself and posted it online that same evening.

“And you didn’t even show the materials to the President’s Office or his press service?” – Padalko clarified.

“No, they just said: “Let me know when it comes out.” And it was even a little surreal. I’m sitting at home, opening this important record, cutting it myself, putting it together, making the cover and publishing it. Everything is as natural as possible,” he assured.