PSG goalkeeper refuses to respond to Illia Zabarnyi's 'Russians are aggressors' dig as Ukraine star reveals tension with new team-mate over ongoing conflict

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been raging for over three years. PSG's new summer signing Zabarnyi, who hails from Ukraine, has been vocal about the hardships his countrymen have been facing as he labels the Russians as "aggressor" while calling it a professional "obligation" to play alongside Russian teammate Safonov.

Reportedly, the Ukrainian defender also wanted PSG to offload the Russian shot-stopper but the French club refused keeping them both eventually. However, where one side is vocal and has continued supporting his country on global platforms, Safonov didn't want to enter a verbal spat with his team-mate and refused to share any remark on the ex-Bournemouth player's comment.

Safonov was signed by PSG last year from Russian side Krasnodar in a €20m (£17m/$23m) deal. The 26-year-old was signed as a backup for former player Gianluigi Donnarumma and played 17 games across all competitions in the 2024-25 season. 

In an interview with Football 360, Zabarnyi spoke on the Russia-Ukraine conflict While talking about his relationship with Safnov.

"In my country, a full-scale war has been raging for four years. The Russians are aggressors who are trying in vain to destroy the freedom and independence of Ukraine. I do not maintain any personal relations with any Russians. I have to interact with [Safonov] on a professional level during training and fulfil my obligations to the club. But as long as the war continues, I fully support the isolation of Russian football in the world."

In an interaction with Sport Express, when Safonov was asked to share his remark on Zabaryni's comment he refused saying : "I won't."

PSG have replaced Donnarumma with ex-Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. Chevalier is the new starting goalkeeper for PSG - lessening Safonov's on-field interactions with Zabarnyi.