Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said in an interview with the BBC that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has "already started" World War Three.
Speaking in Kyiv over the weekend ahead of the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Tuesday, Zelensky expressed a differing perspective compared to former US President Donald Trump.
In the interview aired on Sunday night, Zelensky said, "We have different views on World War Three. I believe Putin has already triggered it. The real question is how much territory he can conquer and how we can stop him."
He warned that Russia aims to impose a new way of life on the world, altering the choices people have made for themselves. "That's why I have long believed that Putin has already begun this war, and we are preventing it from escalating into a full-scale World War Three," Zelensky said.
Zelensky also emphasised the importance of obtaining reliable security guarantees from the United States for Ukraine, saying such assurances should not hinge solely on the current US president.
"Presidents have fixed terms," Zelensky explained when asked about his confidence in Trump. "We want guarantees that last, for example, 30 years. Congress is needed for this. Presidents come and go, but institutions remain."
