"That's nonsense, excuse me": Zelensky criticized the U.S. reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia before the invasion began.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that the stance of the United States prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was misguided in its reluctance to impose sanctions against Russia.

He stated this in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman.

At that time, the Biden administration claimed that sanctions against Russia could not be imposed in advance, "for a crime that has not yet occurred."

“I asked for just one thing, primarily from the United States. If you are certain, if you have evidence, if you are speaking with him (Putin – ed.) and he tells you there will be an invasion – and if this scares you. First – I’m not asking for evidence. Just give me two things. Support us with weapons. But most importantly – provide us with the conditions to prevent any war. It’s not primarily about weapons – I asked them for sanctions. In other words, intimidate him. Please don’t say that if he comes, if he crosses the borders, if he starts killing, we will impose sanctions. Well, that’s just nonsense. Sorry. Really,” the president noted.

“Now I understand,” commented Fridman, whose parents were born in Ukraine, and he himself was born in Tajikistan, having lived for some time in Kyiv and Moscow.

Background. Recall that Zelensky mentioned that Lukashenko apologized at the beginning of the Russian invasion for Russia launching missiles at Ukraine from Belarus. Lukashenko allegedly suggested to Zelensky to strike back at the Mozyr oil refinery.