Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, irked by a translator’s failure to interpret his comments properly into English at a major news conference, on Thursday took over the job himself.
Zelenskiy – who prefers to speak Ukrainian in public – acted after the interpreter cut short his remarks during an event with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Turning towards the interpreter, he said pointedly: “And I said about the window of possibilities. I said that it couldn’t be solved because … we see each day guns and firing from the Russian side”.
He continued: “And I said ‘Slava Ukraini’ (Glory to Ukraine)”. “Glory to Ukraine,” the translator quickly replied.
“Thank you so much. It’s important,” Zelenskiy said with evident irritation.