Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian leader Vladimir Putin "has started World War Three" and warned that only sustained military and economic pressure can force Moscow to step back.
These were his latest remarks in a new interview with the BBC, where he rejected the idea of ceding occupied territory to secure a ceasefire, arguing that withdrawing from strategic areas in eastern and southern Ukraine would weaken the country and divide its society. He also dismissed suggestions that handing over land currently held by Russia could satisfy the Kremlin, saying any pause would simply allow Moscow to regroup before continuing the war.
Zelensky also pushed back against pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has urged Ukraine to move quickly toward a deal. While acknowledging Ukraine's dependence on Western military support, he insisted the country would not lose the war and framed victory as preserving independence and ultimately restoring Ukraine's 1991 borders.
Despite ongoing battlefield challenges and political friction with allies, Zelensky maintained that diplomacy and military pressure must proceed in parallel. Stopping Putin, he said, would not only secure Ukraine's future but prevent a broader global conflict...