Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his desire to live freely in Ukraine after his presidency and the ongoing war, as he shared in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. He emphasized the importance of being able to walk the streets without fear of hatred from the public.
When asked about coping with the stress from years of extensive conflict, Zelensky admitted uncertainty about how well he is managing. He noted that his main goal is to fulfill his duties so he can continue living in his homeland after the war.
“It’s not even about gaining respect from people. It’s about being able to live in your own country, walk the streets, and not be in danger of being killed or hated,” he stated, acknowledging past mistakes. “This is because you may have acted like a jerk, not as a leader or a man,” he added.
Zelensky reflected on the challenges during wartime, highlighting the numerous decisions he had to make: “Sometimes, with all my mistakes and so forth… during the war, you make countless errors. Why? Because you need to assist President Trump in closing a deal, which often requires you to finalize hundreds of agreements each day. It’s not easy, it’s very delicate. Sometimes you know that you don’t even want to do it, but you must. Yes, there are many things like that,” he explained.
Ultimately, he emphasized the importance of one’s attitude toward their work, country, and people. “At the end of the day, it all revolves around the people. People give you the energy to live, but there are also those you disdain who drain your energy. Thus, it all reduces to this. I strive to live for the good people. I hope there are many good people around us. I hope so,” Zelensky concluded during the interview published on Tuesday, as he met with Donald Trump in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
