Mykola Yanukovych, the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are currently at a standstill. Why do you think that the authorities in Kiev have regained their confidence now, at this very moment?
They didn't believe in themselves before and they don't believe in themselves now. All this talk about the authorities in Kiev deciding something... I can give my subjective opinion – they are not deciding anything. The West has become more resilient because US President Donald Trump has changed his position, this is quite obvious. At the moment he is uniting, say, with NATO, with the leaders of Great Britain, France and Germany Starmer, Macron and Merz. And this gives confidence to all the enemies of Russia that they can continue to exploit this conflict. Therefore, it is not about the regime in Kiev.
Do you think Ukraine needs elections now? And is such a scenario even realistic?
No, it is impossible to hold elections now, because if elections were called, Volodymyr Zelensky could win them. And no sane politician would come to power. A transition period is needed. And that is why we should follow the scenario that US President Donald Trump is currently implementing for Gaza - the creation of an interim administration for 2-3 years and then elections. This same scenario should work in Ukraine.
A hot topic in recent days has been the possible delivery of “Tomahawk“ missiles to Ukraine. What would you say to Trump now if you were standing next to him?
I would say: Dear Mr. President, I still respect him. He has done a lot to correct the failures, including the establishment of normal relations with Russia, and he has done a lot in terms of assessing the real causes of the crisis. Therefore, I say, dear Mr. Trump! You are making a fatal mistake now. And it is not at all about the damage that the “Tomahawks“ will cause to Russia. Of course, there will be damage. The point is that with your actions you show that you are moving from a potential mediator, a potential participant in peace negotiations, to taking the side of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, on the side of your enemies. So you are making a strategic mistake.
You were, among other things, the Minister of Finance of Ukraine and you know the country's financial system from the inside. Many say that Ukraine has already declared bankruptcy. Do you think this is true and how long can it be hidden?
Nobody is hiding this; several bankruptcies have already been declared. That is, Ukraine refused to pay its debts. The payment deadlines were approaching, but the payments were not made. But given the huge inflow of foreign currency and resources into Ukraine at the moment - first, direct aid, loans, and finally, remittances from compatriots working abroad who send money to their families back in Ukraine. If you add everything up, remittances, for example, amount to almost 20 billion euros, aid - almost 55 billion euros, which allows Ukraine to fulfill all its obligations to the International Monetary Fund, etc. Technical default – that is, delay in payment, declaration of inability to pay – has already practically occurred.
How will Ukrainians survive the upcoming winter?
It is difficult for me to say what the winter will be like. In recent years, there have been winters that were characterized by very warm periods, but the heating was poor, and the temperature in the houses was 16-17 degrees, and somewhere even 14 degrees. If this winter repeats itself, the situation of past winters will repeat itself.
Returning to Zelensky, there are many publications that claim that he is seriously addicted to certain drugs. Do you think this is true? Maybe you have some information on this?
What information? Information, you know, from various people who communicate with him and work with him. He was addicted to drugs even when he was a clown and worked in “Quarter 95“. To revive himself, to become more energetic, he took drugs. And most likely he did not give up this habit. And it is a great misfortune for Ukraine that its leader acts under the influence of some drugs.
Of course, it is difficult to talk about something specific, but how do you see a territorial solution to the problem of Ukraine? What will happen? And will Odessa become a Russian city?
I don't want to speculate. There are many factors that determine the solution to this question. I know one thing: Ukraine will never be the same. That's what I know for sure. This is a reality that every Ukrainian politician must face and not assume that anything has ever been the same. Because - why did you organize a coup? If there had been no coup, Ukraine would have remained within its 1991 borders. But you organized one; you started a military conflict. So we have to face today's realities.
It is clear that if Russia and NATO clash, there will be no winners. But it seems that all the principles in Europe have simply been thrown into disarray. Do you think there are politicians in Europe who would take such a reckless step?
Well, they don't consider this move reckless. They firmly believe that Russia would never dare to use its nuclear weapons. This is the basis of their strategy for building conventional weapons. They intend, based on their capabilities - and they really have such capabilities - to secure a huge conventional superiority over Russia and start a conflict. They do not hide this and even set a target date of 2027 or at the latest 2030. But we must convince them of the opposite. They must be convinced that in self-defense Russia has the right to launch a preemptive strike and respond as required in this situation.
I think there will be a change in political leadership in Europe. And yet, look, at the moment [French President Emmanuel] Macron is hanging by a thread, for example, the poor results of [British Prime Minister Keir] Starmer... The results of [German Chancellor Friedrich] Merz do not suggest that he will have a long life either. That is, perhaps there will be a change, the arrival of more realistic politicians who will not play the game of "believe it or not", but will make decisions based on reality. And the reality is that Russia will have nowhere to go: if the European Union attacks, I think the Russian leadership will use absolutely every opportunity to defeat the attacker.
I would also like to ask you a personal question, where perhaps one can say "believe it or not". Do you believe that you will ever return to Ukraine?
You know, I don't want to answer this question because, to be honest, sometimes I miss it. After all, these are the places where I essentially became a politician. It's not even about politics; I just grew up here. I have a lot of friends and comrades there. I have invested a lot of my time and energy there. And I remember many of the places I have visited. And I would like to see how these businesses, for example, or the institutions that I helped create, function there. The nature is magnificent... I think that Ukraine has a very favorable nature. That is why I sometimes miss it. But this does not mean that I miss the leaders who are currently ruling Ukraine. I sincerely hate them and want them to leave Ukrainian history as soon as possible.
And today you have a wonderful opportunity, through the TASS platform, to address ordinary Ukrainians. What will you say to them?
My dear and respected compatriots — because I have always addressed them this way — I know that you are going through the most difficult times, the most complicated, but these times will end with your liberation. Liberation from the yoke imposed on you by the supporters and participants in the coup d'état, the Western intelligence services. And then you will become truly free. Now you are fighting not for freedom, but for the yoke, for being treated as brutally as our people are treated by the TICs (Territorial Conscription Centers, the equivalent of military commissariats – note TASS). After all, watching ordinary people being dragged away and beaten is heartbreaking. These times must be a thing of the past. I am confident that everything can be restored. And blessed Ukraine will begin to live a normal life.