It appears that Kamala Harris wasn’t the sole significant political figure to have skipped The Joe Rogan Experience this year, leading to widespread discussion regarding the potential implications of that absence.
The immensely popular host of the podcast mentioned this week that Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, had also shown interest in joining the show. “Zelenskyy attempted to come on,” Rogan informed his co-hosts in the latest episode of his podcast. “They were trying to arrange for Zelenskyy to appear. I was like, ‘what are you suggesting’?”
Rogan did not clarify when the request for the interview was made or the means by which it was communicated. (World leaders are always encouraged to reach out to The Daily Beast via DMs.)
This revelation, however, emerged just days after Rogan voiced his strong criticism in response to the news that President Joe Biden had permitted Ukraine’s armed forces to deploy long-range US-made missiles into Russian territory.
“F–k you, man. You f–king people are on the verge of triggering World War III,” he stated on November 22. “What are you discussing?”
Zelenskyy has had to navigate a challenging situation in recent months as the US presidential campaign unfolded, needing to maintain the support of the Biden administration while also appealing to leaders of a party—and campaign—advocating for limits on aid to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. He was among the first world leaders to connect with Donald Trump following his election victory, speaking with him—and his current close associate Elon Musk—on the very day the results were finalized.
While concerns have emerged in Ukraine and among its allies regarding Trump’s campaign rhetoric advocating for a quick resolution to the war, Zelenskyy and his team have reportedly felt somewhat reassured by their private exchanges with Trump and his advisors.
He also seems open to capturing Trump’s attention through alternative means. Lex Fridman, another pro-Trump podcaster, tweeted on Friday expressing his eagerness to engage in a three-hour podcast with Zelenskyy—and he would be willing to travel to Kyiv to facilitate it.
”Agreed. I’ll see you in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy responded the following day.
