Zelensky admits he did not expect Russia's full-scale invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared his thoughts on his beliefs prior to Russia's full-scale invasion in a conversation with Stephen Bartlett. The head of state admitted that he did not foresee such a scale of aggression.

Why Zelensky did not believe in a full-scale attack

According to the president, he did not imagine that Russia would dare to launch a full-scale invasion. He also did not believe that Ukraine would make concessions, such as handing over control of the Donbas or recognising Crimea as not part of Ukraine.

«Я не думав, що буде повномасштабне вторгнення. І так далі... Що ми віддамо їм Донбас і визнаємо його не Україною, а також визнаємо Крим не Україною. Інакше кажучи, це була форма тиску. Але що сталося, те сталося» (I did not think there would be a full-scale invasion. And so on... That we would hand them the Donbas and recognise it as not Ukraine, and also recognise Crimea as not Ukraine. In other words, it was a form of pressure. But what happened, happened), Zelensky noted.

The leader emphasised that his position was based on faith in the reasonableness of partners. He was convinced that if Western countries knew about the threat of a full-scale invasion, they would have taken preventive measures.

«Я не думав, що буде повномасштабне вторгнення. Я так не вважав, тому що вірив: якщо люди - партнери тощо - знають, що буде повномасштабне вторгнення, і при цьому не вживають превентивних заходів, не саджають його за стіл переговорів, не кажуть йому: "Ти що, з глузду з’їхав? Ти втратив розум - вести війну у XXI столітті, вбивати людей? Ти абсолютно божевільний!"» (I did not think there would be a full-scale invasion. I did not think so because I believed: if people - partners, etc. - know that there will be a full-scale invasion, and at the same time do not take preventive measures, do not sit him down at the negotiating table, do not tell him: "What is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind - to wage war in the 21st century, to kill people? You are absolutely insane!"), the president added.

Conversation with Putin on the eve of the war

Zelensky recalled that contacts took place between European leaders and Volodymyr Putin one day before the start of the full-scale invasion. According to the president, Europeans, who had less information than the Americans, were speaking with the Russian leader at that time.

«За день до вторгнення європейці, які знали менше, ніж американці, вони розмовляли з Путіним. І Путін пообіцяв їм, що вторгнення не буде. Він збрехав їм усім тоді. Просто він знав, що вторгнення буде. Він знав усе» (One day before the invasion, Europeans, who knew less than the Americans, they spoke with Putin. And Putin promised them that there would be no invasion. He lied to all of them then. He simply knew that there would be an invasion. He knew everything), Volodymyr Zelensky concluded.