Zelenska, Visiting France, Urges "Punish Putin and His Associates"

Ukraine First Lady "Offered Asylum by France and Others but Did Not Want to Leave"
Expresses Gratitude and Special Affection to Mrs. Macron

Photo of First Lady Zelenska and the Prime Minister attending the Paris international conference Photo by AP·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, visited Paris to attend the international conference supporting Ukraine's reconstruction held in France and gave an interview to BFM on the 12th (local time). Zelenska revealed that on the day the Russian invasion began 10 months ago, her husband, President Zelensky, was the first to say that the invasion had "started."

She also recounted that on the night transitioning from February 23 to 24, when strange explosion sounds were heard in the capital Kyiv, she woke up due to the loud noise and realized her husband was not beside her. While searching for him, she saw President Zelensky in another room dressed in a suit.

When the war started, President Zelensky, who had never left Ukraine even once, often wore military green tops in front of the camera, which became his trademark.

Olena also revealed that although she received offers of asylum from other first ladies, including Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, she never felt like leaving. Regarding why she did not seek asylum, she said, "I never wanted to leave or run away from the country, nor did I plan to," adding, "If I had left Ukraine, it would have had a very negative impact on the people."

Zelenska emphasized that Ukraine is fighting not only for freedom but also for human rights and that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and those around him must be punished. She condemned the forced removal of tens of thousands of children from the regions occupied by Russia, saying there is no way to know what happened to them and calling it "pure kidnapping."

She pointed out that many areas have lost electricity due to Russian forces bombing Ukrainian civilian infrastructure facilities over the past few weeks, calling it "a clear act of terrorism." Zelenska, who had visited France twice before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, expressed special affection by calling Mrs. Macron a "friend."

Zelenska expressed gratitude, saying that thanks to Mrs. Macron, sick children who escaped Ukraine were able to receive treatment, and added, "I hope the cooperation between France and Ukraine continues."

Meanwhile, on the 13th (local time), Zelenska is scheduled to attend the international conference and then visit a school in Paris where students who fled Ukraine are attending, together with Mrs. Macron.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.