On Special Report last night, President Volodymyr Zelensky was more clear-eyed about his country’s prospects with the attack from Russia than in the past. I don’t mean he’s no longer semi-delusional like my beloved President Trump, bless his heart. No, I mean he talked rationally about giving up territory and what that means. Mind blown.

Last night, President Zelensky sat for a pre-taped interview with Bret Baier on Special Report. It was interesting that he showed great deference to President Trump after their Sunday meeting at Mar-a-Lago. Our Deanna wrote an excellent recap of that Sunday meeting and you can read it here. Trump thinks he can still make a deal with Putin. Head meet desk. Putin is not a business transaction man. He is an “Oops, so sorry my agent dropped you out of the 4th floor window.” kind of dictator.

Volodymyr Zelensky was deferential to Trump in public at Mar-a-Lago. However, with Baier, Zelensky told the truth as we all know it about Putin. From The New York Post:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky broke with President Trump’s optimistic assessment that Moscow wants peace — contending that Russian strongman Vladimir Putin hasn’t sent any signals to that effect.

“I don’t see it because, first of all, I don’t hear it publicly,” Zelensky bluntly told Fox News’ Bret Baier in a preview clip that aired on “Fox & Friends First.”

“He doesn’t speak about peace,” Zelensky added. “He says that he can go further. It’s not the signals of peace.”

During their powwow at Mar-a-Lago Sunday, Trump was asked by a reporter if he believes Putin is serious about peace and replied, “I do.”

Trump spoke with Putin for nearly two hours before his meeting with Zelensky to run through the 20-point peace plan. The Russian brute has repeatedly threatened to keep waging war on Ukraine until the Kremlin conquers the remainder of the Donbas region.

The problem is that Putin is not interested in a “just peace” – Putin wants total capitulation https://t.co/S499zwYRt6

— Daniel Hoffman (@danielhoffmanDC) December 30, 2025

The only way Putin wants Ukraine to be successful is as a vassal to Mother Russia. Putin is so transparent that he wants to get the old Soviet Union back together.

President Zelensky makes it clear: Russia’s “help” isn’t welcome unless it’s paying war reparations, not cheap energy. Ukraine won’t forget or forgive Putin’s opposition — true support means accountability. #Ukraine #StandWithUkraine #Reparations #Peaceمل pic.twitter.com/vJfGbZK3fc

— ceanmedia (@ceanmedia) December 30, 2025

No, Puty, they don’t want your help. They want your money. And, Puty can forget about the Donbas, too. From Real Clear Politics:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wants peace but rejected any settlement that would cede the Donbas region to Russia, calling it “stupid” to begin peace talks with the assumption that Ukrainian territory would become Russian, in an interview with FOX News host Bret Baier.

PRESIDENT ZELENSKY: We can respect the security guarantees because it will be clear for the people. And not only for people, citizens, also for business, for investments, for everybody.

Because you can’t just, I mean, this risk and don’t know when Russians will come, what will be, who will defend.

BRET BAIER: People are tired in Ukraine, right? They’re very resilient. They’ve been fighting all this time.

ZELENSKY: It’s true.

BAIER: But they’re tired. Are they ready for a deal?

ZELENSKY: People, people want peace. Today, President Trump said, I saw the polls that 85%, maybe 87% he said, want peace so they agree. I said, yeah, you know, this is our life. 87% support peace. At the same time, 85% against to withdraw from east, you know, from the Donbas. It’s been that everybody wants peace, but just peace.

BAIER: But that’s the hard part, is the territory. That’s the hard part. So how do you get to yes?

ZELENSKY: All the parties have to understand that the worst way is to go out from the Donbas. It will be big risks for Ukraine. Not acceptable by Ukraine, but they will, just personally.

And referendum will not be positive. Of course, referendum is, if we will go to referendum, it’s very important. But if we are not stupid, we can’t go to referendum. All of us, after signing with President Trump, with me, after signing this, we can’t go to referendum knowing that referendum will, I mean —

BAIER: Fail.

ZELENSKY: Fail. I mean, I think it’s stupid. I think so. That’s why we have to find real peace, real way to peace, which is acceptable by Ukrainian nation.

BAIER: You think it’s possible, though?

ZELENSKY: We have to do it. We have to do it. We don’t have other way. Other way, it will be the war. Continuation.

I look at it this way, I may joke about divorcing Nashville and Memphis, but if someone tried to take them that would mean WAR.

Check this out: “Trump says alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin’s residence was ‘not good’”. Oh, puh-leeze. From the article:

President Trump said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him in an early morning call that a Ukrainian drone attack targeted one of his residences.

Mr. Trump, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, expressed disapproval of the alleged attack.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Mr. Trump said, before conceding that it was “possible” the allegation was false and the attack did not occur. He then quickly added that Mr. Putin told him “it did” happen.

n
Puh-leeze. Putin would drone his own home and make political prisoners clean up the mess. I don’t love Volodymyr Zelensky but I despise Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky says that Ukraine cannot win without the U.S.

That’s true. So…we need to find a way to ruin Putin and get on with it. Stat.

Featured Image: Україна/Wikimedia Commons.org/cropped/Public Domain