Zelensky defends Ukraine's sovereignty: calls Putin and Russians 'enemies' in defiant Fox News interview
In a no-holds-barred interview with Fox News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that he cannot change Ukrainians' attitudes toward Russians, labeling them "murderers."
Zelensky asserted, "Putin and the Russians are our enemies."
Israeli Army officer and military analyst Yigal Levin explained the importance of these words in his blog. Carl Schmitt's concept of the enemy suggests that a nation's unity is more than just opposition to foes. Sovereignty means defining who your enemy is; failing to do so allows others to decide for you.
In the Oval Office, a test of Ukraine's sovereignty played out as former President Trump and Vice President Vance suggested Zelensky should surrender. Trump’s comments—“If I were president, there'd be no war”—implied that Ukraine's fate hinges on others' decisions about who is a friend or foe. He suggested again, after the Oval Office debacle, that while Putin seeks peace, Zelensky is ready to fight.
According to Schmitt, political conflicts only occur with enemies. Scientific, economic, and cultural rivalries happen with competitors—not foes. An enemy must be destroyed, just as they seek your destruction. So when Zelensky told Fox News, “Putin and the Russians are Ukraine's enemies,” this was a declaration of sovereignty. Trump's peace proposals, without Ukraine yielding the right to determine its foes, represent a political deadlock. Americans know this, having studied Schmitt and beyond, and see Zelensky as an obstacle to their plans.
It's vital to remember the push to end the war on Russia's terms, ostensibly to save Russia from what could become intense "friction." "Friction"—as coined by Carl von Clausewitz—describes an uncontrollable escalation to extremes, leading to blind hatred and mutual destruction. This escalation primarily impacts the initiator who refuses to end the war.
Simply put, war boomerangs to devastate the instigator's home with amplified force from years of "friction." While Americans may wish to halt this—albeit at Ukraine's expense—the choice ultimately rests with Ukrainian soldiers, not the U.S. president. Zelensky underscored this on Fox News, asserting, "I can't tell my people to stop. No one will stop, as everyone fears Putin's return tomorrow."