President Zelenskyy: It's Time To Tell You The Truth About This War! I Found 500 Bodies!
Ask about The Diary Of A CEO
Episode Description
What does it truly cost a human being to lead a nation through an existential war while the world watches from afar? President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reveals the psychological toll of continuous survival, the grim realities of geopolitical negotiation, and what keeps him still standing.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the President of Ukraine, having led the nation through its darkest historical hours following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. A former lawyer, comedian, and actor turned wartime leader, he transitioned from satirical television to the global stage. His current administration focuses on securing Ukraine's sovereignty, managing international diplomacy, and defending democratic freedom against imperial aggression.
In this episode, he explains: ■ The Burden of Command: How constant psychological pressure and nightly military briefings push his endurance to its limits under relentless wartime pressure. ■ The Fatal Miscalculation: Why Russia's catastrophic military mistake came from a failure to recognize Ukrainians as a distinct people willing to fight for their freedom. ■ The Turning Point of Atrocity: How witnessing the aftermath of war in liberated towns transformed a political conflict into deeply personal tragedy where easy forgiveness became impossible. ■ The Cost of Staying: Why the refusal to evacuate Kyiv was driven by the absolute need to remain visible and prevent the nation from surrendering out of fear. ■ The Geopolitical Reality: How true diplomatic peace requires holding aggressive regimes fully accountable for their crimes rather than shifting the blame onto global energy markets.
This episode was recorded on October 16, 2026.
00:00 Intro 02:07 How Is Zelensky Really Doing? 06:15 "I Don't Sleep": The Human Cost of War 09:53 What Keeps Zelensky Going 11:24 Growing Up in Soviet Ukraine 13:18 His Family Killed by the Nazis 13:38 From Law Student to Comedian 15:50 He Played a President on TV, Then Became One 17:21 Why Zelensky Left Comedy for Politics 20:24 When Did the Russia-Ukraine War Really Start? 24:59 Putin's Plan to Rebuild the Soviet Union 33:19 Why Putin Invaded in 2022 36:34 Did Biden's Weakness Let Putin Invade? 40:00 The Warnings Before the Invasion 41:46 Where Zelensky Was When Russia Invaded 46:48 Would This Have Happened Under Trump? 48:53 How Russia Planned to Take Kyiv 53:19 The 40-Mile Convoy: Why Russia Failed 55:13 Biden's Evacuation Offer: "I Need Ammunition" 59:38 Was Zelensky Scared? 1:02:24 The Moment the War Became Real 1:05:07 Russia's Big Mistake: Parade Uniforms 1:12:27 The Battle for Hostomel Airport 1:14:51 What Happened in Bucha 1:21:08 His Hardest Day: "I Wanted Revenge" 1:23:43 How the War Has Changed Him 1:29:02 Being a Father During the War 1:32:10 His Mum's Daily Phone Calls 1:33:06 Map: What Russia Occupies Now 1:35:59 Russia's Strikes Across Ukraine 1:37:02 What Putin Really Wants 1:39:24 Will Putin Use Nuclear Weapons? 1:40:56 Trump Says Ukraine Needs a New President 1:45:48 How This War Ends: Trump, Putin & a Ceasefire 1:48:09 Zelensky's Message to America
Follow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:
The Diary Of A CEO: ◼ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/ ◼ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/BWjLTZK ◼ Shop The Diary Of A CEO collection: https://thediary.com/collections/shop ◼ Get email updates - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/5IB1H6E ◼ Follow Steven - https://link.thediaryofaceo.com/AGU9QP4
SYNCID MB01M4DAH6EHQX0
Brief Summary
Zelenskyy recounts Kyiv’s defense and Bucha’s atrocities, explains why justice matters to peace, and answers Trump’s claims about Ukraine and the war.
Key points
- Children who never knew peace. Zalinski describes children living through nightly air-raid alarms and says some have never experienced peace. He calls that reality horrifying.
- The actor who became president. Before entering politics, Zalinski played a teacher who accidentally becomes president in the satirical series Servant of the People. He says he never expected to become president himself.
- When the war really began. Zalinski says the war began with Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, even though it did not look like a conventional war at the time. He reflects that Ukraine’s failure to push back was a mistake.
- Ukraine, the Soviet Union’s “forge of talent”. Ukraine’s scientists, engineers, universities, and industries made it central to the Soviet Union. He argues that an independent Ukraine turning toward Europe threatened Putin’s ambition to rebuild the empire.
- The invasion began with a lie. Despite military drills and Putin’s assurances to European leaders, Russian forces invaded Ukraine from multiple directions. He recalls how many people believed the threats were only a bluff.
- The morning the war started. Missiles were flying, his family woke to the news, and he went straight to the office to begin the workday. He remembers telling his wife he loved her before rushing out.
Episode highlights
- Children who never knew peaceZalinski describes children living through nightly air-raid alarms and says some have never experienced peace. He calls that reality horrifying.“There are children who never knew what peace was.”6:00Oct 22, 2026
- The actor who became presidentBefore entering politics, Zalinski played a teacher who accidentally becomes president in the satirical series Servant of the People. He says he never expected to become president himself.“I definitely didn't expect it.”16:05Oct 22, 2026
- When the war really beganZalinski says the war began with Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, even though it did not look like a conventional war at the time. He reflects that Ukraine’s failure to push back was a mistake.“The war really started with the occupation of Crimea.”21:17Oct 22, 2026
- Ukraine, the Soviet Union’s “forge of talent”Ukraine’s scientists, engineers, universities, and industries made it central to the Soviet Union. He argues that an independent Ukraine turning toward Europe threatened Putin’s ambition to rebuild the empire.“Ukraine was the forge of talent.”29:48Oct 22, 2026
- The invasion began with a lieDespite military drills and Putin’s assurances to European leaders, Russian forces invaded Ukraine from multiple directions. He recalls how many people believed the threats were only a bluff.“He lied to all of them back then.”39:47Oct 22, 2026
- The morning the war startedMissiles were flying, his family woke to the news, and he went straight to the office to begin the workday. He remembers telling his wife he loved her before rushing out.“The war has started. I love you. I'll call you.”46:26Oct 22, 2026
- Focused, not fearlessZelenskyy says he was too busy making decisions and coordinating the response to process fear. The shock and grief came later, once the pace slowed.“It's not about fear. It's about being laser focused on what needs to be done right now.”1:00:09Oct 22, 2026
- A victory parade that never happenedZelenskyy says Russian forces expected to take Kyiv in days and brought parade uniforms with them. Instead, Ukrainian resistance stopped the advance.“They were literally marching to a parade.”1:06:29Oct 22, 2026
