Volodymyr Zelensky has clashed with an American podcaster who suggested Vladimir Putin should be forgiven as part of a compromise that leads to a peace deal.

Lex Fridman, one of the most popular podcast hosts in the United States, with connections to Elon Musk and Joe Rogan, asked the Ukrainian president if he should excuse Putin.

In an emotional and, at times, angry confrontation, Mr Zelensky turned the tables on his host, calling Putin a child murderer.

Mr Zelensky asked his interviewer whether he had children – which he doesn’t.

He said: “This is the most important thing in life, and they simply took away the most precious thing from you. Will you ask who ruined your life before going to rip their head off? I’m just curious.

“They took your child away. Are you going to ask who did this? And they will answer that that dude did this. You will say, ‘oh, well then there are no questions.’ No, no, no. You will go f------ hell and bite their head off and it will be fair. Can murderers be forgiven?”