Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefly uses Russian during ABC News interview

During a televised interview with ABC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefly switched to Russian to clarify a linguistic nuance. While discussing whether he was perceived as 'unthankful,' the journalist used the term 'ungrateful.' Zelenskyy, seeking the exact translation, turned to his team off-camera and asked in Russian, “А, это то же самое?” (Ah, is it the same?).

Zelenskyy clarified that while he is grateful for the support of his partners, he does not intend to express thanks every second. Although Russian is his native language, he has rarely used it in public in recent years due to strict Ukrainian language laws regarding the use of Russian in public spaces.

Analysts suggest these linguistic slips may reflect high levels of fatigue, stress, and psychological pressure resulting from the ongoing conflict and diplomatic challenges.