The video recording was published on YouTube by the Office of the President of Ukraine.
"And he heard my position. My stance probably differs from loyalty to certain actions. I believe that this should not have been done either to Ukraine or to Europe, honestly. Because Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons," noted Zelensky. "I do not claim that it was necessary to give them up or not. In my opinion, it shouldn't have happened, considering that we were attacked. But even if you decided that either America (the policy of America at that time and Russia – they were united in this) forced Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons, I consider that it was simply, well, at the very least dangerous."
According to the President of Ukraine, nuclear weapons should have been exchanged "for real security guarantees."
"And back then – it was only NATO. And to be honest, even today – it is only NATO... In peacetime – it is NATO, and in wartime we understand: it is a strong army. So if I were to exchange nuclear weapons, I would exchange them for something, you know, something very strong that can genuinely stop any aggressor, regardless of their size, territory, army, etc. And that is a strong army and a security bloc. Therefore, I believe that it was foolish, utterly foolish, illogical, and very irresponsible to exchange," emphasized Zelensky.
He added that Ukraine was influenced at that time by "big countries, larger economies" and "it was not easy to refuse," but "one must know how to say no."
"By the way, especially if you hold a position like the president of a country. And I told him [Trump] that we exchanged for nothing, traded nuclear weapons for war. It started later, but really – for war. And he said, 'Yes, I understand what you are talking about,'" Zelensky reported.