Ukrainian Journalist Tours 44 Countries to Gauge Global Views on Ukraine War

Ukrainian-American journalist Peter Zalmayev has spent two years travelling to more than 40 countries to gauge global perceptions of the war in Ukraine and foster dialogue on the conflict.

A former host of the weekly international affairs programme *The Week* on Ukrainian television for over 12 years, Zalmayev also appeared in interviews on outlets like CNN and the BBC. Feeling exhausted, he decided to embark on a new chapter by visiting regions he had long wanted to explore, from Johannesburg and Kenya to Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Pacific islands—a total of 44 countries so far. His recent stops included small European territories such as Andorra.

The journey is no mere tourist trip but a mission to discuss the Ukraine war. "I don't go to places to tell people what to believe about the war. I want to start a conversation," Zalmayev said during his visit to Andorra la Vella. He shares his perspective on Ukraine while listening to locals, speaking with politicians, journalists, taxi drivers, and ordinary citizens. In turn, he reports back to Ukrainians on views from these distant nations.

In Andorra, he highlighted the role of microstates: they hold votes at the United Nations and must defend sovereignty while providing humanitarian support. "This affects us all," he noted, warning that current global trends favour leaders who prioritise power over international law.

Zalmayev described varied reactions worldwide. In remote Pacific or sub-Saharan African nations, awareness of the conflict remains limited and complex. Some African states retain positive memories of the Soviet Union for its anti-colonial support. "My task is often to explain that the Soviet Union no longer exists, that Ukraine was part of it, and that Russia is not the USSR," he said.

Australia and New Zealand show near-unanimous backing for Ukraine and clear identification of the aggressor. In South Africa, Zimbabwe, or Burundi, official stances are more ambiguous or lean towards Moscow. He pointed to Russia's sophisticated propaganda efforts, which back any political forces that erode consensus or unity, regardless of ideology, to foster destabilisation.

On the war's trajectory, Zalmayev expressed pessimism, calling it a war of attrition where the key question is who time favours. Russia suffers casualties but not enough to halt the fighting. Putin, he said, prolongs talks while terrorising civilians. The conflict now engages much of Russian society around an "existential narrative," though pockets of civil resistance persist quietly.

Despite the challenges, Zalmayev remains hopeful, continuing his global tour to talk, listen, and remind people that geopolitics involves human lives.