Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed details regarding an offer from Joe Biden to evacuate the country shortly after the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to Operative Information Center-OMM, Zelenskyy shared these remarks during an address to the Ukrainian people marking the fourth year of the ongoing hostilities.
The president explained the circumstances of the conversation: "This office, this small room in the bunker on Bankova Street — this is where my first conversations with world leaders took place at the beginning of the war. I spoke with President Biden here, and it was here that I heard: 'Volodymyr, there is a danger, you must leave Ukraine immediately. We are ready to help with this.'"
Zelenskyy noted that in response to the proposal, he told the US leader that Kyiv "needs weapons, not a ride."
The statement highlights the critical early stages of the conflict when international intelligence suggested a rapid fall of the Ukrainian capital. Since the escalation began, Ukraine has consistently advocated for advanced military hardware and long-range capabilities from Western allies to defend its sovereignty. The phrase "I need ammunition, not a ride" has since become a symbolic slogan of Ukrainian resistance, marking a pivotal moment in the diplomatic relations between Kyiv and Washington during the transition of global security dynamics.
