Zelensky Chooses High-Profile Podcast Despite Host’s History of Misinformation

After seven months of planning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sat down with host Steven Bartlett for a nearly two-hour conversation in Brussels, later released in an AI-synthesised English version. In the episode, Zelensky reflected on the day Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, his refusal to abandon Kyiv, the country’s geopolitical challenges and the psychological strain of command, while condemning Russian atrocities and Western inaction.

The Diary of a CEO, originally a business-focused podcast, has pivoted toward sensationalist and right-leaning topics, with one outlet World Service previously identifying multiple episodes that promoted health misinformation. Despite the show’s reputation for hosting controversial figures and bizarre headlines, it consistently tops charts and is distributed in 25 languages, offering Zelensky a broad audience. Analysts suggest his advisers opted for pragmatic outreach to keep Ukraine’s plight in the international spotlight, even if it meant appearing on a platform criticised for spreading falsehoods. The interview avoids probing Zelensky’s domestic controversies, underscoring the trade-off between reach and editorial rigor.