Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told '60 Minutes' in an interview airing tonight: 'I want to live many more years, but choosing between running or being with my people, of course I'm ready to give my life for my country'
When everyone is telling you, you need to go, you need to think. Before I do something, I analyze the situation. I've always done it calmly, without any chaos," Zelensky told CBS' Scott Pelley in the interview via an interpreter. "I might not be the strongest warrior. But I'm not willing to betray anyone."
He said he explained to his wife and children that he had to stay because he's the president of Ukraine and they supported his decision.Pelley put it to Zelensky that he made a decision to give his life for his country if it came to that. Zelensky replied: "I don't want to make myself out to be a hero. I love my family. I want to live many more years, but choosing between running or being with my people, of course I'm ready to give my life for my country."Zelensky told Pelley he would be willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for negotiations to end the war but said Ukrainian officials were "not ready to give away our country" when asked if he would give up any part of Ukraine for peace.