Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shared his memories of his first conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
This was reported by URA-Inform with reference to the Financial Times.
< p>Stoltenberg said that attempts to contact Zelensky continued for two days, and when the conversation finally took place, it was extremely “difficult.” Stoltenberg admitted that he feared for the life of the Ukrainian leader, believing that he could be captured or killed. p>
During this conversation, Zelensky asked the allies to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but NATO rejected this request. Stoltenberg noted that he does not regret his decision, since the alliance was determined to support Ukraine, but not to participate directly in the conflict.
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The former secretary general also recalled his first meeting with Zelensky in 2019. He admitted that he had underestimated the Ukrainian president at the time, although he liked Zelensky. Stoltenberg noted that it was hard to imagine that Zelensky would become a strong military leader in the future.
«He was inexperienced. He asked the simplest questions. I completely underestimated him,» the former Secretary General of the Alliance said.
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It was also previously reported that Ukraine could join NATO with the occupied territories, Stoltenberg.