Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine, War, Peace, Putin, Trump, NATO, and Freedom | Lex Fridman Podcast #456

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine. This episode is available in English, Ukrainian, and Russian. Captions and voice-over audio tracks are provided in English, Ukrainian, Russian, and the original mixed-language version, with subtitles available in your preferred language. To listen to the original mixed language version, please select the English (UK) audio track audio track. The default is English overdub.
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

*Transcript:*

*CONTACT LEX:*

*EPISODE LINKS:*

*SPONSORS:*
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
*Notion:* Note-taking and team collaboration.
*GitHub:* Developer platform and AI code editor.
*AG1:* All-in-one daily nutrition drinks.
*LMNT:* Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
*Eight Sleep:* Temp-controlled smart mattress cover.
*BetterHelp:* Online therapy and counseling.

*OUTLINE:*
0:00 - Introduction
3:29 - Introductory words from Lex
13:55 - Language
23:44 - World War II
40:32 - Invasion on Feb 24, 2022
47:07 - Negotiating Peace
1:07:24 - NATO and security guarantees
1:20:17 - Sitting down with Putin and Trump
1:39:47 - Compromise and leverage
1:45:15 - Putin and Russia
1:55:07 - Donald Trump
2:05:39 - Martial Law and Elections
2:17:58 - Corruption
2:26:44 - Elon Musk
2:30:47 - Trump Inauguration on Jan 20
2:33:55 - Power dynamics in Ukraine
2:37:27 - Future of Ukraine
2:42:09 - Choice of language
2:51:39 - Podcast prep and research process
3:00:04 - Travel and setup
3:05:51 - Conclusion

*PODCAST LINKS:*

*SOCIAL LINKS:*

[lexfridman]

See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.
0:00 - Introduction
3:29 - Introductory words from Lex
13:55 - Language
23:44 - World War II
40:32 - Invasion on Feb 24, 2022
47:07 - Negotiating Peace
1:07:24 - NATO and security guarantees
1:20:17 - Sitting down with Putin and Trump
1:39:47 - Compromise and leverage
1:45:15 - Putin and Russia
1:55:07 - Donald Trump
2:05:39 - Martial Law and Elections
2:17:58 - Corruption
2:26:44 - Elon Musk
2:30:47 - Trump Inauguration on Jan 20
2:33:55 - Power dynamics in Ukraine
2:37:27 - Future of Ukraine
2:42:09 - Choice of language
2:51:39 - Podcast prep and research process
3:00:04 - Travel and setup
3:05:51 - Conclusion

*Transcript:*

*CONTACT LEX:*

*EPISODE LINKS:*

*SPONSORS:*
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
*Notion:* Note-taking and team collaboration.
*GitHub:* Developer platform and AI code editor.
*AG1:* All-in-one daily nutrition drinks.
*LMNT:* Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
*Eight Sleep:* Temp-controlled smart mattress cover.
*BetterHelp:* Online therapy and counseling.

[craigrussell]

"In most cases we did not receive money, we received weapons." Just in case my fellow Americans didn't catch that, our money isn't going to Ukraine, it's going straight to American weapons manufacturers

[ezOqekuRitusohI]

Hey Lex, here is your “Path to Peace”: Russia leaves Ukraine

[tweedyharfunkel]

9 hour long Putin version pending, with conversation starting around bronze age collapse.

[highimpactcoaching]

Such a great interview. I gained a much deeper understanding into the war. My heart goes to the people of Ukraine…and all the young men…who sacrifice their life and future…

[brainrotime-ono]

Zelenskyy: Many children were killed in Mariupol

Fridman: Okay but I have a dream

[vladromanyuk]

Did lex seriously just go to the president of Ukraine and tell him that Putin loves Russia? Lmao

[firsttimecook]

That is not the conflict between putin and Zelenskyi. The war began long ago before Zelenskyi elected

[evlgt]

My first time watching a Lex Fridman interview.

Zelenskyy represented himself and his country impressively well. I have deep admiration and respect for him. When he was elected President I'm sure he never expected to be a wartime commander in chief. But he has risen to the challenge in spades and he represents his nation and his people with formidable dignity, empathy and honor.

@lexfridman - thank you for making this interview available. That's all I will compliment you on. You are soooo cringy, a total stooge for Trump and even worse- Putin. The constant platitudes of your dreams for peace so nakedly reveal your utter obliviousness to the concept of justice- in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands and is STILL ongoing. Why even bring up Musk and Rogan? WTF is the point of name dropping them? It's very revealing about your underlying motivations- thanks for exposing yourself...

[volodymyrdrobot]

We intend to stay alive. Our enemies want to see us dead. That doesn't leave too much room for compromise.
Golda Meir (born in Kyiv, by the way)

[armandoramirez]

The problem all over the world is that most people have strong opinions but are extremely uneducated about the subject of their opinion and do not care to find out more.

[Kiwifan-ehro]

"..in some countries corruption is called lobbying.." very true!

[xycid]

13 dead in Zaporizhia today and 32 injured. rUssians dropped an air bomb on civilians. Images of the dead are horrible.

Hey Lex (Alexei Fedotov), should the Ukrainians just forgive this carnage and move on?

[DaveNealComedian]

Insane world where podcasts can happen with world leaders during wartime.

[thebredom]

When Lex said that sanctions will upset Putin 🫠🫠🫠?? Like.. That’s the fucking point?!

[Tyrese-eo]

Holy F, I listened to way too much before I realized Lex was just gonna keep saying the same S. "But have you tried peace?", like, come on dude.

Good luck with the Putin interview.

[lorrainetellei]

I am an American and support Zelensky and Ukraine. The world would be better off without Putin in power

[kestutisstugys]

Not only the most of support to Ukraine comes in a from of weapons (not money), I'm pretty sure that most of those weapons are approaching the end of their shelf-life or obsolescence (whichever is applicable). I mean, they aren't sending F-35s to Ukraine.

[svetlanaseleznova]

Did Hitler love Germany and the Germans? Where is the line where love for the country ends and madness begins? And how to negotiate with a madman while convincing yourself that he is still normal. What will be the result of these agreements?

[phettywappharmaceuticalsll]

Imagine somebody invaded your home and is beating you…cop shows up and doesn’t stop it but asks you to forgive the intruder while he’s beating you lol