Russia's invasion is 'genocide,' Zelensky says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "genocide" during a Sunday appearance on CBS's Face the Nation.
"Indeed, this is genocide," Zelensky told host Margaret Brennan through a translator. "The elimination of the whole nation and the people. We are the citizens of Ukraine. We have more than 100 nationalities. This is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities. We are the citizens of Ukraine, and we don't want to be subdued to the policy of Russian Federation. This is the reason we are being destroyed and exterminated, and this is happening in the Europe of the 21st century."
Zelensky also said the idea of negotiating with Putin is difficult for him on a "personal level" due to the atrocities he has witnessed but is the only way to end the war. He added that the withdrawal of all Russian forces "to the borders that existed prior to the 24th of February" was the "bare minimum" for any peaceful settlement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ukraine, Zelensky continued, would be willing to accept "non-bloc" status — meaning the country would not join NATO — but only if Ukraine is permitted to join the European Union and receives enforceable "security guarantees" from a "circle of countries."
When asked whether Ukrainian forces were responsible for the helicopter attack on a fuel depot in Belgorod, Russia, on Friday and for explosions that, according to Reuters were heard in Belgorod on Sunday, Zelensky denied it. "We're fighting for our country on our terrain," he said.
Zelensky concluded the interview with a call for solidarity between the United States and Ukraine. "Take a good care of yourselves, your families, and the peace that you have in the United States," he said. "Don't forget about Ukraine. Please help us keep. Keep on helping us. We have the same values. We have the same color of blood. And we are fighting for freedom and we will win indeed."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
July 6 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include paying for school lunch by enlisting, and the banality of evil
-
5 biting editorial cartoons about 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Cartoons Artists take on dangerous green things, historical precedent, and more
-
A journey into the deep past on beautiful Arran
The Week Recommends New Unesco Global Geopark played a 'key role' in the birth of modern geological science
-
Ottawa Treaty: why are Russia's neighbours leaving anti-landmine agreement?
Today's Big Question Ukraine to follow Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as Nato looks to build a new ‘Iron Curtain' of millions of landmines
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
How long can Nato keep Donald Trump happy?
Today's Big Question Military alliance pulls out all the stops to woo US president on his peacemaker victory lap
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?
Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Are the UK and Russia already at war?
Today's Big Question Moscow has long been on a 'menacing' war footing with London, says leading UK defence adviser
-
Is UK's new defence plan transformational or too little, too late?
Today's Big Question Labour's 10-year strategy 'an exercise in tightly bounded ambition' already 'overshadowed by a row over money'
-
How will the MoD's new cyber command unit work?
Today's Big Question Defence secretary outlines plans to combat 'intensifying' threat of cyberattacks from hostile states such as Russia
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles