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以下是乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基的完整访谈文字实录，部分内容已于2026年5月31日在《与玛格丽特·布伦南面对面》栏目播出。本次访谈于2026年5月29日录制。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 现在我们连线正在基辅的乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基。总统先生，欢迎再次来到《面对面》栏目。
乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基： 非常感谢，玛格丽特。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 您曾警告称，乌克兰有情报显示俄罗斯正在准备发动新一轮大规模袭击。此前莫斯科已经警告外国公民在扩大空袭前撤离基辅。您具体在应对什么？
泽连斯基总统： 首先，我们认为今晚或是明晚，俄方将发动大规模袭击，使用无人机、巡航导弹和弹道导弹。我们始终能看到他们的准备工作。顺便说一句，我们感谢美国和欧洲伙伴向我们共享情报。因此，当我们得知俄罗斯准备发动大规模袭击时，我们的伙伴也确实知晓，尽管可能细节不全，但我们都清楚。当然，我尚未向全国发表讲话，稍晚些时候晚上我会发表，届时我会提醒民众务必格外小心、保持警惕，包括儿童在内，必须前往防空洞，因为今晚或是明晚，袭击概率极高——当然没人能百分之百确定，但概率确实很高。通常来说，俄方每天都会袭击平民，当然也包括战场。每十天左右会有两次大规模袭击，使用弹道导弹等武器。就在不久前的上一次大规模袭击中，俄方动用了600架伊朗“天竺葵”无人机，还有大约30多枚弹道导弹，总计90枚导弹和600多架伊朗无人机，拦截难度极大。我们动用了所有现有武器、本国生产的装备，当然还有反导导弹。这是我们目前最大的短板。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 昨晚有一架俄罗斯无人机撞入罗马尼亚建筑，我们还看到一架俄罗斯无人机击中了一艘土耳其船只。这些都是北约成员国。欧洲国家表示，俄罗斯在欧洲正承担越来越多的行动风险。您认为普京此时为何要承担这些风险？
泽连斯基总统： 首先，这并非他首次施加此类压力。我认为这是政治施压，是俄方发出的信息：不要帮助乌克兰。我认为这是他最常用的手段——如果你帮助乌克兰，我就会采取这类行动。他早在战争初期就尝试过这种做法。他在罗马尼亚方向试过一次，之后不久，俄方出动21架无人机闯入波兰领空。例如，昨晚又有无人机闯入罗马尼亚，这已经不是第一次了。我们昨晚已经向罗马尼亚伙伴发出了预警。通常我们会尽力拦截所有飞向其他国家的无人机，比如罗马尼亚、摩尔多瓦或是波兰方向，我们会尽全力拦截。如果无法拦截，我们当然会向伙伴国发出预警。我们会尽力提供帮助，波罗的海国家爱沙尼亚、立陶宛、拉脱维亚也是如此。俄罗斯这么做，就是为了在政治上和军事上对北约国家施压，观察它们的反应。我认为北约成员国必须做出更加强有力的统一回应。普京正在观察这些反应，以及过去一两年、两三年来反应的变化，这就是他的目的。同时，他也在测试北约毗邻乌克兰、白俄罗斯或俄罗斯的成员国的防空能力，看它们能否拦截所有导弹和无人机。这就是我的判断。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 过去几天里，您致信白宫和国会，称弹道导弹仍是普京在战场上的主要优势。您需要更多拦截弹来击落这些导弹。美方有没有给出回应？
泽连斯基总统： 非常感谢你提出这个问题。这是我们目前最优先、也是最严峻的挑战。我们度过了一个极其艰难的冬天，俄方用大量弹道导弹袭击我们的能源基础设施、供水系统和学校——那是一段非常艰难的时期。现在我们面临严重的装备缺口。当然，其中一个原因是中东的伊朗局势冲突，我们看到缺口还在扩大，我们必须抓紧时间，加紧向其他伙伴传递信息、举行会晤。我们看不到美国的导弹产量足够应对当前挑战。我们认为这可能引发全球危机，当然也包括中东地区。我祈求上帝保佑，早日实现停火和持久和平。我祝愿中东国家和美国都能拥有和平，也希望特朗普总统及其团队和美国方面能够促成停火。但我们必须做好应对挑战的准备。乌克兰没有停火，我们已经打了五年的战争，我们看到俄罗斯正在增加本国弹道导弹的生产，而我们的反导装备存在严重缺口。这是个大问题。我已致信白宫和美国国会，希望他们能够理解并做出回应。这非常重要。我们需要扩大生产规模。我了解美国的大型企业，实力雄厚的大企业，但只有美国能够生产足够数量的反导装备。以当前的挑战规模来看，每月生产60到65枚导弹根本不够。俄罗斯清楚这一点，这已经不是什么秘密。我们需要扩大生产规模。德国现在已经拿到了一些生产许可证。我曾向本届美国政府提出请求，也向往届政府提出过：向乌克兰发放许可证，我们将增加爱国者导弹的生产。这对我们将大有裨益，对中东地区、对所有美国打算提供援助的国家也都大有裨益。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 但美国至今尚未批准这项请求。您是否期待与特朗普总统或是美国政府其他官员就此进行沟通？
泽连斯基总统： 我们已经和特朗普总统谈过。感谢我们能够就此展开讨论。我们制定了一项由乌克兰、欧洲和美国共同参与的PURL计划。通过这个计划，我们可以动用欧洲的资金——你应该了解这一点——来采购装备。但现在我们无法大量采购。问题不在于资金不足，也不在于美国的援助赠予等等，核心是生产产能不足。我们确实迫切需要这些装备。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 没错，这是北约管理的欧洲资助武器项目，但拦截弹是美国生产的，这点我理解。但你也知道，美国国务卿鲁比奥近日称乌克兰拥有全欧洲最强大的军队。美国陆军部长将乌克兰战场称为“战争的硅谷”，称赞你们整合人工智能和反无人机技术的能力。因此，你方在这类 warfare 中拥有优势。你能否利用这些优势来击落俄罗斯的导弹，还是说你方完全依赖美国的制造业来提供帮助？
泽连斯基总统： 我可以快速举一个例子。当我们接到通知，要协助保卫中东地区的美军基地以及沙特、阿联酋等中东国家的基础设施时，我们派出了200多名专家。我们拥有的[内容不可辨认]以及各类拦截弹、雷达、电子战系统，是其他国家不具备的。鲁比奥部长说得没错。我们能够摧毁所有类型的无人机，也能拦截大量不同型号的导弹，但我们的整体防空系统中仍然缺乏反导装备。这是最大的问题。没错，我们正在研发本国的反导系统，我知道这需要时间，但在此期间，我们会付出人员伤亡的代价。那么我们能为美国提供什么呢？我们拥有的所有装备，比如美国没有的廉价拦截弹、各类不同的军事装备、人工智能无人机等等。但我们没有反导系统，而美国拥有反导系统。我们想要什么？我们想要共享合作，我们愿意拿出我们拥有的一切。我们铭记美国从战争一开始就帮助了我们，因此我们非常感激，也愿意分享我们的技术。但在我们本国的欧洲产反导系统投产之前，我们需要美国的支持。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 欧洲方面有没有提供反导拦截弹的提议？除了更多的爱国者导弹之外，还有其他希望吗？
泽连斯基总统： 坦白说，欧洲已经向我们提供了一些防空系统。那是在战争的第二年，但同样也是美国的爱国者系统。法国和意大利也拥有一套SAMP/T防空系统，这是一套不错的系统，但它们也需要扩大生产规模，因为没人能预料到今年会爆发如此大规模的战争，没人预见到这种情况。因此各国都需要扩大生产。现在就是关键时刻。遗憾，但事实就是如此。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 正如你所说，需求确实很高。那我们来谈谈外交局势。鲁比奥国务卿表示，俄乌之间没有安排任何谈判，他似乎承认谈判已经完全陷入停滞。普京的发言人则表示，现在谈论战争结束的具体细节还为时过早。你认为俄罗斯有可能坐下来谈判结束战争吗？
泽连斯基总统： 当然有可能。首先，我想说目前有几条外交渠道。去年以来，优先级最高的渠道应该是美方渠道，也就是美、乌、俄三边会谈。没错，那是技术层面的会谈，并非领导人级别，而是国家安全顾问级别，但我认为那次会谈是有成效的。当时美方表现出了开放态度，我们双方作为合作伙伴，也保持开放。后来美国将重心转移到了中东地区，也正因如此，我认为中东成了优先事项。这就是为什么我们的外交谈判出现了停顿。我们还有欧洲渠道。我始终认为，不能只有美方渠道或是欧洲渠道。我认为最有力的谈判格局应该是乌克兰、俄罗斯、美国和欧洲四方参与。但现在我们只能根据实际情况来。现在欧洲正尝试找到推动俄方走向和平的途径。当然还有第三条渠道，我们也随时准备与俄罗斯进行双边会谈。如果普京愿意，我随时准备与他会面。我认为我们需要实施更多制裁，施加更大压力。你问他们何时会准备好谈判，理论上来说。我认为，施加更多制裁、更大压力，他们就会准备好进行对话。即便现在，他们每月也有3万到3.5万名士兵阵亡。这是极其庞大的伤亡数字。说实话，我们加大了攻势，我是说俄方加大了进攻力度，因此他们的伤亡人数也非常高。而且每个月，他们的征兵规模都与伤亡人数基本相当，所以他们面临着兵员短缺的问题。我认为他们正走向人员危机，所有这些因素都会推动他们走向谈判桌。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 乌克兰高级指挥官安德烈·别列茨基少将对路透社表示，乌克兰拥有六个月的时间来夺取战场主动权，为和谈增强筹码。你认为在这六个月里需要做些什么？如果不是美国出手，那么普京会同意与哪个欧洲伙伴坐下来谈判，由其出面斡旋俄乌和谈？
泽连斯基总统： 没错，这段时间确实如此——我可以多说一点。从2025年12月开始，俄罗斯就失去了战场主动权。我在1月份就将这一信息告知了美国伙伴。我对他们说，我们拥有谈判窗口，因为俄方每个月都会损失更多人员，正因如此，他们会失去战场主动权。现在他们开始发动大规模导弹袭击，而他们这么做的主要原因，正是他们已经开始失去战场主动权。他们一个月内无法再占领更多领土，甚至赶不上同期丢失的领土面积。所以现在我们正处于冬季来临前的这段窗口期。我认为在冬季到来之前，我们需要找到外交途径坐下来谈判。但这取决于对普京的施压，取决于他国内的压力。我认为制裁带来的压力正在增加——不要解除制裁，而是要施加更多制裁。这是有效的外交手段。我希望美国能做到这一点，欧洲也已经出台了二十多轮制裁方案。欧洲方面谁可以出面斡旋？我们有一个三国机制。我不知道这是不是最佳方案，但据我目前了解，这是欧洲的优先选项。那就是英国、法国和德国。我认为这三个国家可以作为谈判中间人。当然我们还有北欧国家作为好伙伴，你也知道土耳其一直希望充当调停人，我们甚至通过他们成功接回了一批战俘。这也非常重要。但最终由谁来出面？这由乌克兰和欧洲共同决定，当然前提是俄罗斯也准备好进行对话和谈判。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 你最后一次与鲁比奥国务卿、史蒂夫·威特科夫或是总统的和平特使贾里德·库什纳联系是什么时候？他们会来基辅吗？
泽连斯基总统： 是的，我们期待他们能来基辅。我希望他们能在两周内找到机会到访。至少我的谈判团队告诉我，他们已经与史蒂夫和贾里德取得了联系，对方表示准备前来乌克兰会谈——当然，总是有“如果”的前提，玛格丽特你也懂。而今天，这个“如果”指的是中东局势。我不知道中东局势会如何发展，你们的谈判能否取得积极进展——我再次希望如此。所以我不知道最终会怎样，但我认为美国谈判代表团应该来乌克兰。他们从未到访过这里。我认为这很重要，不仅对我们而言。让他们亲眼看看、亲身感受这里的情况，了解民众的生活，我们都希望结束这场战争，目标是制止俄罗斯的侵略。他们之前多次去过莫斯科。我之前就说过，如果他们这次还要去莫斯科，就必须先到基辅，再去莫斯科。我认为这样会更有意义。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 你提到要加大制裁力度。由于伊朗战争推高了油价，美国一直在暂停部分对俄石油制裁。我之所以这么问，是因为最近有一份报告调查了普京绑架并送入再教育营的乌克兰儿童情况。耶鲁大学表示，至少有6000名儿童被绑架，俄罗斯油气公司协助了这一国家支持的绑架计划。美国解除这些制裁是否变相资助了乌克兰儿童被绑架的行为？情况确实如此吗？
泽连斯基总统： 玛格丽特，很难直接这么回答。我可以说，我基本同意你的看法，因为解除制裁对俄罗斯军队大有帮助，对他们的国防工业也是极大的助力。解除制裁后，我们并没有看到欧洲或其他地区的石油、汽油或柴油价格走低，并没有出现这种情况。我不确定这是否与俄罗斯石油有关，真的和国际市场价格有关吗？我们看到——好吧，也许我的看法不对，但俄罗斯石油产量约占全球的5%，对吧？那么5%的份额能产生多大影响？我认为不会。我认为应该找到与俄罗斯对话的途径，但这种对话是不正确的。为什么？因为俄罗斯人听不懂道理，他们不理解——我认为他们感受不到情绪，因为他们觉得示弱就是软弱，所以我们必须强硬，对他们施加制裁。他们确实绑架了数千名乌克兰儿童。我们已经确认了2万名，我们知道他们的名字，但实际数字可能更多。多亏了各国领导人，还有中东伙伴的帮助，以及乌克兰和美国的第一夫人，他们也为此提供了帮助，我们已经接回了部分儿童。截至目前，我们已经接回了2200名儿童，仅占我们确认的被绑架儿童总数的10%。但还有数千名儿童尚未被确认身份，这是个大问题。我看不到俄罗斯方面有归还这些儿童的意愿。这是一条非常艰难的道路。他们曾提议用儿童交换战俘。你能想象吗？我们怎么能用孩子来交换？我们不能——首先，这违反国际法。你们可以归还平民，但怎么能交换……没错，接回我们的战士、战俘非常重要，但我们不能用孩子来交换。但俄罗斯提出用儿童交换战俘这件事本身，就证明了他们确实绑架了儿童。我希望国会能够再次通过针对俄罗斯的相关制裁法案，以儿童问题为由。我们已经和国会议员们多次讨论过此事。我希望他们能采取这一行动。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 美国财政部长表示，世界上一些最贫穷的国家要求美国暂时解除对俄石油制裁，这也是美国同意这么做的原因。但听起来你认为这么做弊大于利。美国是否在加大力度协助寻找这些被绑架的儿童？你们是否需要美国提供更多帮助？
泽连斯基总统： 我们需要更多帮助。我们需要更多帮助。我们需要接回数千名儿童。你知道我们正在浪费时间。为什么？因为有一些非常糟糕、令人发指的案例。这些孩子长大后会被送上战场。我们已经遇到过这样的案例。我们有——
玛格丽特·布伦南： 你有相关证据吗？
泽连斯基总统： 是的，我们有证据。没错，他们教导这些孩子仇恨自己的祖国，仇恨本国人民。乌克兰人，你能想象吗？这些年轻的乌克兰男孩走上战场，杀害自己的同胞。我的意思是，这就是俄罗斯的一种实际的信息战手段。他们利用一切手段来摧毁乌克兰和乌克兰人民，甚至利用儿童。他们还想拆散家庭，比如将兄弟姐妹分开，男孩和女孩被送到不同的家庭。这就是俄罗斯数百起此类事件的真实写照。这就是为什么我们不能再浪费时间。我们需要尽快接回儿童，当然我们需要全世界的帮助。我们需要美利坚合众国的帮助。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 在结束采访前，我想回到你提到的无人机技术以及你向美国提出的合作提议。这项合作是在推进中，还是陷入了停滞？
泽连斯基总统： 我们非常希望能与美国达成第一笔无人机交易，将美国作为第一个战略合作伙伴。但美方希望对我们所有类型的无人机进行审查。我们已经同意了——我接受了他们提出的流程，包括训练、测试、在天空和水面上使用的要求，因为我们不仅有空中无人机，还有海上无人机等等。我接受了这个流程，但我们至今尚未签署大型无人机合作协议。我希望我们正在朝着这个方向前进。但我们已经与一些中东国家和欧洲国家达成了无人机交易协议。现在我们正准备与欧盟达成大型无人机合作协议，我希望也能与美国合作伙伴达成相关协议。我对此抱有期待。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 你提到需要与硅谷和美国科技公司继续开展相关合作，对吗？
泽连斯基总统： 我们非常希望如此，因为美国的科技公司拥有大量我们不具备的先进人工智能技术。而我们也拥有许多他们没有的技术，源于我们在战场上的实战经验。我认为这种合作可以成为全球规模最大、最具影响力的合作。我们需要的是立刻开始谈判，而不是空谈，要采取行动，尽可能快地推进。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 听起来你需要特朗普总统点头同意，对吗？
泽连斯基总统： 是的，我们需要特朗普总统点头同意。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 好的。总统先生，感谢你抽出时间。在你们准备应对即将到来的袭击之际，我们祝愿基辅市民平安。
泽连斯基总统： 非常感谢。谢谢你，玛格丽特，感谢这次对话。感谢贵国给予我们的大力支持，能拥有这样的朋友，我们感到自豪。我祝愿你们和平。一切顺利。
玛格丽特·布伦南： 我们很快会带来更多《面对面》栏目内容，请继续关注。
Full transcript: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 31, 2026
2026-05-31T08:13:00-0400 / CBS News
The following is the full transcript of the interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a portion of which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on May 31, 2026. The interview was taped on May 29, 2026.
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MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joins us from Kyiv. Welcome back to Face the Nation, Mr. President.
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: Thank you so much, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You have warned that Ukraine has intelligence that Russia is preparing for a new massive attack. This is after Moscow had warned foreign nationals to leave your capital city ahead of expanded strikes. Exactly, what are you bracing for?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: So, first of all, today at night, or tomorrow at night, we will have- we think that we will have big attacks from Russian side using drones, using cruise missiles and ballistic, and we see the preparation always. We see the preparation, by the way- we are thankful to United States and European partners when they share with us intelligence. So, when we know that Russia prepares a big massive attack, definitely, our partners also know, maybe not a lot of details, but we know. So today, of course, I didn’t address yet to my country. I will do it a bit later in the evening, and of course, I will say that our people have to be very, very careful, cautious, and children, and they have to use bomb shelters, because today at night or tomorrow at night, high percent, of course, nobody knows 100% but there is a high percent. So usually we have, we have each day attack from Russian side on civilians, and of course on battlefield. And two times a week, or two times per 10 days, they have big, massive attacks with ballistic, and etc. Last massive attack, just to understand, it was- some days ago, it was 600 drones, Iranian drones, Shaheds, and they had 35- about 30 plus ballistic missiles. In total it was 90 missiles and more than 600 Iranian drones, so it was very difficult to destroy it. We used all our weapon, what we have, what we produce, and of course we used anti-ballistic missile. This is the biggest deficit for us.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Overnight, a Russian drone slammed into a Romanian building. We also saw a Russian drone hit a Turkish ship. These are NATO member states. We’re hearing from European countries that Russia is taking more and more operational risks in Europe. Why do you think Vladimir Putin is taking these risks at this moment?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: First of all, it’s not the first time he has- he’s doing such pressure. I think it’s political pressure. It’s messages from Russia, don’t help Ukraine. I think this is the most- the most usual meaning, what, what he used, don’t – if you will – help Ukraine, (or) I will do these such steps. So he began- he tried once crossing at the very beginning of this war. He did it in Romania, and then a little bit later it was in Poland when they used 21 drones. Then, for example, today at night it was again Romanian, not the first time, we gave these messages to our Romanian partners at night. Usually we try to catch all the drones, even when they go in their direction to other countries, like Romania, Moldova, or the direction of Poland, we try to catch everything. If we can’t, of course, we give these messages to our partners. We try to help them, and also the same with the Baltic countries, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia. So Russia uses this just to attack politically and by weapon pressure on NATO countries to look at the reaction. So the reaction we- I think the reaction has to be more strong from the unity of NATO countries. And I think that Putin is comparing how this reaction and how it’s changed during this one year or two years, three years, this is the way how- and he also, the testing of air defense of other countries, NATO countries, which are bordering us or bordering Belarus or Russia. So he’s testing what air defense they have. Can they destroy all the- all the missiles or drones. This is what I think.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You sent a personal letter to the White House and to Congress within the past few days, explaining that ballistic missiles, as you put it, remain Vladimir Putin’s last major battlefield advantage. You need a surge of interceptors to take these missiles out. Have you gotten a response from America?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Thank you very much for this question. This is the biggest, this is the priority for us, and big, big challenge. We had a very difficult, tough winter. Russia attacked us by lots of ballistic missiles on our energy infrastructure, water supply, schools- it was- it was very difficult. Now, we see big deficit. Of course, one of the reasons is the situation in the Middle East with the Iranian war, and we see that the deficit is increasing, and we need to hurry up to rush and to send messages and meetings, and do a lot of meetings with other partners. We don’t see enough missiles in production of the United States. We see that this is- it can be crisis in the world, including Middle East, of course. I hope, God bless, that the ceasefire will be long and lasting peace. I wish it to Middle East countries and to the United States, and I hope that President Trump and his team and American side will negotiate ceasefire. But what we see, we have to prepare for the challenges. And we in Ukraine, we don’t have ceasefire, we have long five years war, and we see that Russia is increasing their internal production, the production of ballistic missiles, and we have deficit with anti ballistic. This is big problem. I sent a letter to the White House and Congress of the United States, and I hope that they will understand and will answer, respond. And this is very important. We need to increase the production. I know all the companies in the United States, huge companies, great companies, but only United States can produce such number. 60, 65 missiles per month for today’s challenges, it’s nothing. Russia knows it, it’s not, you know, secret information. We need to do production wider. Germany now has some licenses. I asked previous administration, I am asking today’s administration, give Ukraine licenses. We will increase the production of Patriot missiles. It will be very helpful for us, it will be very helpful for Middle East, for everybody whom United States will decide to help.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But the United States has not granted you that yet. Do you expect to speak to President Trump or anyone in the U.S. government about it?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: We spoke with President Trump. I’m thankful that we can share this topic between us. We created the program, Ukrainian, European, and United States called program PURL. Through this program, we send European money, you know about it, and we can buy. But now we can’t buy a lot. There is the deficit in production, it is not the topic of money today, it’s not about presents from United States and etc. So we just need it very much.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. These are the European-funded weapons program that NATO administers, but they’re American-produced interceptors. I understand that. But you know, Secretary of State Rubio recently said that Ukraine has the strongest military in all of Europe. The Army Secretary of the United States called the Ukrainian battlefield the Silicon Valley of War, praising how you’ve integrated AI and anti-drone technology. So, you have this edge on this type of warfare. Can you use it in any way to take down these Russian missiles, or are you solely dependent on American manufacturing to help?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I can give you one example very quickly. When we’ve got messages to help in the Middle East to defend some bases with American soldiers and also infrastructure of Middle East countries like Saudi or Emirates, etc, and I came with- with our groups, we sent more than 200 of our experts. Such a level of [UNINTELLIGIBLE] and different kind of interceptors, radars, systems of electronic warfare, nobody has. And secretary is right. So we have- and we can destroy all kinds of drones, we can destroy a lot of different missiles, but we don’t have, still, in our total programming system, we don’t have anti-ballistic. This is the biggest problem. Yes, we are on the way. By the way, I wanted to say, we will build it, I know, but we need time for this. But during this time, we lose people. So, what we can give the United States? All the things what we have, and what United States, for example, doesn’t, like cheap interceptors, a lot of different kinds, different military, different AI drones, and etc. So, but we don’t have anti-ballistic, and the United States has anti-ballistic systems. What we want? We want to share, we want to give everything what we have. And we remember that United States helped us from the very beginning of this war, so of course we are very thankful, and we are ready to share what we have. But until the moment we will produce our European anti-ballistic system, until this moment, we need support from the United States.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Is there any offer from Europe to take down these ballistic missiles? Is there any hope other than the provision of more patriots?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Between us, Europeans gave us some systems. It was the second year of the war, but it was, again, it was about the American system patriots. Also France and Italy, they have one system, SAMP/T, it’s good system, but they also need to increase the production, because nobody knew that will be this year- will be such big war, nobody counted on this. So everybody has to increase the production. It’s time. It’s all about time. It’s a pity, but it’s true.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there’s high demand, as you say. Let me ask you, though, about the status of diplomacy. Secretary Rubio said there are no negotiations scheduled between Russia and Ukraine. He seems to be acknowledging this is completely stalled. President Putin’s spokesperson said it is too early to speak in specifics about the end of the war. Do you think Russia can ever come to negotiate an end?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, of course. First of all, I want to say that there are several tracks. And the priority track was during last year, I think it was American track, it was trilateral meeting, United States, Ukraine, and Russia. Yes, it was technical level, not leaders level, on the level of NSA, but it was, I think it was good. It was a priority then, United States be open- and we have to be open, between us, we are partners. United States moved and shift their focus on the Middle East, and because of this, I think Middle East is a priority. That’s why we have some pauses in our diplomatic negotiations. We have European track. I will always be on the side that it can’t be just United States track or European. I thought that the most strong position is when Ukraine, Russia, America- United States, and Europe, I think that this is the most strong, powerful negotiation format. But, we have what we have. Now, Europe tries to find their way how to push Russia to the peace. And also, the third way, and of course, we are ready to speak bilaterally with Russia. I’m ready to meet with Putin if he will be ready. I think we need more sanctions. I think we need more pressure. And you asked when they will be ready, and if- if they will be ready, theoretically. I think yes, more sanctions, more pressure, they will be ready for the dialogue. Even now, they have losses. 30, 35,000 soldiers, Russian soldiers, per month. And it’s a huge number of losses. Really, we increased this number, we- I mean, they increase the number to attack us, and that’s why the number of losses is very big. And each month, you have to know that they mobilize, I think the same, very comparable number with losses, so this is a problem for them, the deficit of people. And they are on the way to the big crisis with the people, I think all these things will push them to the dialogue.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your senior Ukrainian commander, Brigadier General Andriy Beletsky, told Reuters Ukraine has a six month window to seize the battlefield and strengthen its hand for peace talks. What do you need to do in those six months? And if it’s not the U.S., who’s the European partner that Vladimir Putin will agree to sit down with to make him broker peace with you?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, it’s true that during this period of time- I can say a little bit more. From December- it began in December 2025, Russia began to lose initiative on the battlefield. And from this point of view, I shared this information with our American partners. I said to them in January, I think that we have window for the negotiations, because each month they will lose more and more people, and they will lose, because of these reasons, they will lose initiative on the battlefield. Now they- they began attack us with massive missiles attacks, and again, the main reason why they did it, because they begin to lose on the battlefield. They couldn’t occupy territories more during one month than they lose during the same month. So now we have this period of time before the winter. So I think that in winter- we have, before the winter, we need to find a way, diplomatic way, to sit and to speak. But it depends the pressure on Putin, the pressure in his society, and I think that is increasing, the pressure by sanctions- not to lift them, to put more. It’s good, it’s diplomatic way. I hope that the United States will do it, and European sanctions, but they made more than 20 packages of sanctions already. Who can be from Europe? We have the format in three countries. I don’t know it’s the best one or not, but this is the priority for Europe, what I understand for today. The three, it’s UK, France, and Germany. These three countries can be, I think, negotiators. But also we have good partners from Nordic countries, and also you know that Türkiye always wanted to be a mediator, and even we had some successful steps when we brought back our war prisoners. This is also very important. But who will be at the end? It’s up to Ukraine and Europe to decide who it will be, and it’s also important that Russia will be ready for speak, for dialogue and for Europe.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When is the last time you heard from Secretary Rubio, or Steve Witkoff, or Jared Kushner, the president’s peace envoys, and will they ever come to Kyiv?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, we count on they are coming to Kyiv. I hope that they will find a possibility to come here in two weeks. But at least I’ve got such message from my negotiation group, they told me that they had contacts with Steve and Jared, and they said that they are ready to come to Ukraine and to speak, if, of course, if- always if, you know, Margaret. And today, ‘if,’ it means Middle East. So I don’t know what will be in the Middle East, and how you close to negotiations, positive one- again, I hope so. So I don’t know if- but I think that we need to see American negotiation group in Ukraine. They’ve never been here. I think it’s important, not only for us. It’s useful for them to understand, to see, to see people, that their life is going on, but we want to stop this war. It’s meant to stop Russia. They’ve been several times in Moscow. I said previously about it, if they want to go this time to Moscow, they have to come to Kyiv and then go to Moscow. I think it will be helpful.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re talking about more sanctions. Because of the pressure on oil prices due to the war in Iran, the U.S. has been suspending some of these Russian oil sanctions. I’m asking this because there was a recent report investigating what is happening with the kidnapped Ukrainian children that Vladimir Putin has been taking and putting into these reeducation camps. Yale University says there are at least six of them, and that Russian oil and gas companies are assisting with this state-sponsored kidnapping program. Has the U.S. lifting these sanctions basically helped fund kidnapping Ukrainian kids? Is that what’s happening?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Margaret, it’s difficult to answer this way. I can tell you that I mostly agree with you, because lifting sanctions is- is a help for the soldiers of Russia. It’s very helpful for their defense industry. They are- they- I mean, this- after lifting sanctions, we didn’t see some surprises, some low prices with the- with oil or with petrol or diesel in Europe or somewhere. We didn’t see it. Because, I’m not sure that it depends on the- on the Russian oil, the market prices, really. Because we saw- what we saw- well I don’t know, maybe I’m not correct, but it’s nearly 5%, 5% of world oil, this is Russian- Russian investment, yeah? So, 5%- how it can make influence? I think no, it’s not about it. It’s how to find, I think, dialogue with Russians, but it’s not correct dialogue. Why? Because Russians don’t understand words, they don’t understand- I think they don’t understand emotions, because they think that this weak position, that’s why we need to be strong and put sanctions on them. They really stolen thousands of Ukrainian children. We know about 20,000, we know, but maybe it’s more, but we identify 20,000, we know the names. And we could bring back, by the way, thanks to leaders to different countries, and by the way, Middle East partners, and the First Ladies of Ukraine and of the United States, they also help with it. But we- we brought during- brought back during all these years 2,200. It’s 10% of the number of the children what we know. So, but I think that thousands of children we didn’t identify until now, so this is a big problem. I don’t see how Russians are ready to give us back these children. This is a difficult way how we do this. So they proposed us to exchange children with soldiers. Can you imagine, how we can exchange our children? We can’t- first of all, it’s out of the law. We can’t exchange civilians. You can give back civilians. And how you can exchange- yes, it’s important to get back our warriors, war prisoners- war prisoners, but we can’t exchange them on the children. But the fact that Russia proposed to exchange children, this is the answer, that they stolen children. And I hope that Congress will find- find the possibility again to put sanctions on Russians, because of the children. We spoke with congressmen, we spoke so many times about it. I hope that they will make this step.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Treasury Secretary has said some of the poorest countries in the world had asked the U.S. for that temporary lifting of Russian sanctions, and that’s why the U.S. went along with it. But it sounds like you are- you are arguing there’s more damage than good that’s served. Is the United States doing more to help locate these children? Do you need more help from the United States?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: We need more help. We need more help. We need thousands children- to get them back. You know that we lose time. Why? Because there are, you know, such very bad examples, awful examples. When these children grow up and they push these boys to the battlefield. We have such examples. We have–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –You have evidence of that?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, we have evidence of it. Yes, and they, they teach- they taught these children to hate their native country, to hate native people. And Ukrainians, can you imagine, such young Ukrainians, young boys, come to the battlefield and kill- kill Ukrainians. So, I mean, this is- this is a practical way of disinformation of Russia. How they use all the instruments to kill Ukraine and Ukrainians, and how to use children. And also they want- there is one of the rule, how they divide families. They divide families, I mean, the brother, they moved- brother and sister, for example, boy and girl, they divide them and move to different families. This is, I mean, and there are hundreds examples of such- of such steps of Russia. That’s why we can’t lose time. We need to bring back children as quick as possible, and of course we need- we need the help of all the world. We need help of the United States of America.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Before I let you go, I just want to come back to what you mentioned in regard to drone technology, and this offer that you made to the United States. Is the deal progressing or is it stalled?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: So, we wanted very much to do the first drone deal with the United States, like with the first strategic partner, but the United States wanted to check all our types of drones. We signed- we accepted, I accepted this document, this way how they wanted us to train, to check, to use it in the sky, on the water, because we have not only sky drones, we have sea drones, and etc. So I accepted this way, but we still didn’t accept a drone deal, like the big document. I hope that we are on the way. But we have already drone deals with some Middle East countries, and we have already drone deals with some European countries. Now we’re preparing the big drone deal with EU, and I hope that we will have such decisions with American partners. I count on it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You count on it, and you need to keep working with Silicon Valley and American technology companies on this?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: We want very much, yes, because American technological companies, they have a lot of different interesting AI technologies, what we don’t have. And we have a lot of things what they don’t have, because our experience on the battlefield. I think this cooperation can be the- can be huge and the most powerful in the world. So we need, you know, we need to negotiate already, not to speak about it, just to make steps, and to do it as quick as possible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You need President Trump to say yes. It sounds like?
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, we need President Trump to say yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Mr. President, thank you for your time, and we wish safety to your residents of Kyiv as you prepare for what is coming.
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Thank you so much. Thank you, Margaret, for this dialogue. Thanks to your nation for the big support, and we are proud that we have such friends. And I wish you peace. All the best.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And we’ll be right back with a lot more ‘Face the Nation,’ stay with us.