Zelensky Reflects on Family, Destiny in Fox Interview

Ukrainian leader tells Bret Baier: 'God chooses what we can endure'
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 2, 2022 8:45 AM CDT
Zelensky Reflects on His Destiny: 'This Was Not by Chance'
President Zelensky speaks on Bret Baier's Fox show.   (YouTube/Fox News)

Volodymyr Zelensky isn't just the president of Ukraine and a newly minted international hero amid the Russian invasion that has plunged his nation into turmoil. He's also a husband and a dad, a fact brought home Friday as he got more personal than usual during an appearance on Fox News. Via an interpreter, Fox host Bret Baier asked the 44-year-old leader what the experience has been like for him over the past month-plus, as he's been separated from his wife and two children. "I am OK," Zelensky replied in a video feed from Kyiv. "I do what I can, and each morning I'm thinking that I don't do enough, and that is the biggest problem for me."

He continued: "But that's good that I don't have so much free time to think about these things and I don't have any time to think about me, and it's a pity that I don't have time to think about spending time with my family. That is a problem because that is the love of my life." Baier also asked the former comedian and actor for his thoughts on how public perception has evolved on him over the past few months, with some now comparing him to such icons as Winston Churchill, notes Yahoo. "God chooses what we can endure, and I think this was not by chance," Zelensky said, per Fox. "I know we will stand through this and my partners today are the people of Ukraine. I am now working 24/7."

Zelensky told Baier he's not sure how many assassination attempts there've been against him, and that he'd "gladly accept a ceasefire" with Russia, though he said he wouldn't give up any Ukrainian territory to Russia as part of negotiations. Zelensky also implored the US to keep sending powerful weapons. "Just give us missiles; just give us airplanes," he said. Zelensky added that he wished Russian leader Vladimir Putin would "watch television that is not Russian to see what's really happening in the world," but that no matter what Putin decides to do in the future, there's one conclusion floating in Zelensky's mind: The war ends "only with our victory, a victory of truth," he noted. (More Volodymyr Zelensky stories.)

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