Russian President Vladimir Putin has already started World War III, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated during an interview with BBC’s Jeremy Bowen on Sunday.
"I believe that Putin has already started it. The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him,” Zenelnsky stated. “Russia wants to impose on the world a different way of life and change the lives people have chosen for themselves."
Zelensky claimed that “Putin will not stop at Ukraine,” adding that “stopping Putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world.”
Bowen probed the Ukrainian leader on the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, during which Zelensky has faced significant pressure from the United States and Russia to make significant concessions.
Bowen asked whether Zelensky believes some land concessions would be “reasonable” if they lead to a ceasefire. Zelensky stated that he sees concessions differently. “I don't look at it simply as land. I see it as abandonment - weakening our positions, abandoning hundreds of thousands of our people who live there,” he said.
In addition to viewing land concessions as an abandonment of the Ukrainians living in the areas in question, Zelensky also said he doesn’t think such concessions would satisfy Putin for long.
Once Russia recovers from the years-long war, there’s no telling where Putin will go next, but Zelensky told Bowen, “that he would want to continue [the war] is a fact.”
Ceasefire talks not satisfactory
On Wednesday, after two days of Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Geneva, Zelensky stated he was dissatisfied with the results of the negotiations, according to a Reuters report.
“Sensitive political matters, possible compromises, and the necessary meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently addressed," he said in a video address following the talks.
An additional round of ceasefire negotiations will be held at the end of the week, Zelenskiy's chief of staff announced on Monday, according to a Reuters report.
Reuters contributed to this report.