---
title: "Zelenskyy in CNN Türk Interview: 'Ukraine's Fate Cannot Be Decided Without Ukraine'"
description: "In an interview with CNN Türk, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's fate cannot be decided without its participation and recalled that after five years of war, Russia has failed to achieve its initial military goals."
date: 2026-11-01T18:05:44.116Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-ukraines-fate-cannot-be-decided-without-ukraine
tags: [ukraine, zelensky, cnn-turk, russia, war, diplomacy, trilateral-summit]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelenskyy in CNN Türk Interview: 'Ukraine's Fate Cannot Be Decided Without Ukraine'

![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gives an interview to the Turkish TV channel CNN Türk while sitting in a green armchair](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/01/zelenskyi-sudbu-ukrainy-nelzya-reshat-bez-uchastiya/zelenskyi-sudbu-ukrainy-nelzya-reshat-bez-uchastiya-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Zelenskyy stated that negotiations on Ukraine's fate are impossible without Kyiv's participation
- The president recalled that over five years of war, Russia has not achieved its initial military goals
- Against the background of statements about preparations for a US-China-Russia trilateral summit, Zelenskyy confirmed his readiness to meet Putin in Turkey

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with the Turkish TV channel CNN Türk that any negotiations on resolving the conflict and determining the state's future cannot be conducted without Kyiv's direct participation. According to him, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are not open to discussion behind the country's back, and any agreements to end the war must be reached exclusively at a negotiating table where all direct parties to the conflict are present.

### 'It is Illogical to Negotiate a Country's Fate Without the Country Being Present'

'It is impossible. You cannot decide Ukraine's fate without Ukraine. That would be unfair and would lead nowhere. It is illogical to negotiate a country's fate without the presence of the country itself,' Zelenskyy emphasized on CNN Türk. He added that similar attempts to discuss the Ukrainian agenda without Kyiv's participation had been made previously by other leaders, but they yielded no practical results. The President concluded that no outside states have the right to discuss critical sovereignty issues concerning exclusively the internal affairs of independent Ukraine.

### Five Years of War and Unfulfilled Moscow Military Goals

Commenting on the course of hostilities, Zelenskyy recalled the initial statements of the Russian side, which, according to him, planned to 'conquer Ukraine in three days.' 'Russia, for example, considered itself great and said it would conquer Ukraine in three days. Now we are entering the fifth year of war. For five years, Russia has been unable to conquer Ukraine,' the Ukrainian leader stated. Thus, he highlighted the failure of Russian military objectives throughout the entire period of the conflict.

### Context: Preparations for a Possible Trilateral Summit

Zelenskyy's statements came against the backdrop of discussions regarding a potential meeting between the leaders of the US, China, and Russia. Earlier, China reported a lack of official information regarding the organization of talks involving Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin. Subsequently, the Kremlin announced the beginning of preparations for a trilateral summit involving the heads of the three states. Meanwhile, as the German president noted, Xi Jinping does not intend to discuss Ukraine during potential talks with Trump and Putin.

### Readiness for Direct Dialogue

In the same interview, Zelenskyy announced his readiness to meet with Vladimir Putin on Turkish territory. This statement underscores Kyiv's position that any negotiations to end the conflict are possible only with the direct participation of the parties and without intermediary formats in which Ukraine's fate is discussed without its representative.

## Accounts differ

### Status of preparations for the US-China-Russia trilateral summit

- **China (official response):** There is no official information regarding the organization of talks involving Trump, Xi Jinping, and Putin. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/dolyu-ukrayini-mozhna-virishuvati-yiyi-uchasti-1793555109.html))
- **Kremlin:** Preparations have begun for a trilateral summit involving the leaders of the three states. ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/dolyu-ukrayini-mozhna-virishuvati-yiyi-uchasti-1793555109.html))

*Where they agree:* The issue of a potential meeting between the three leaders is discussed publicly; both sides confirm that the topic is on the radar.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Судьбу Украины нельзя решать без ее участия, - Зеленский](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/dolyu-ukrayini-mozhna-virishuvati-yiyi-uchasti-1793555109.html) - Direct retelling of Zelenskyy's interview with CNN Türk with quotes. The context of the trilateral summit and readiness for a meeting in Turkey are also provided in the same material.

## FAQ

### Where and when did Zelenskyy make these statements?

The statements were made in an interview with the Turkish TV channel CNN Türk.

### What did Zelenskyy say about negotiations without Ukraine's participation?

He stated that such negotiations are unproductive, unfair, and doomed to failure, and that Ukraine's sovereignty cannot be discussed without its direct involvement.

### Is Zelenskyy ready for a meeting with Putin?

Yes, in the same interview he announced his readiness to meet with Vladimir Putin on Turkish territory.

### What is the context regarding the possible meeting of Trump, Xi Jinping, and Putin?

China reported no official information on organizing such a meeting, while the Kremlin announced preparations for a trilateral summit. The German president noted that Xi Jinping does not intend to discuss Ukraine during such talks.