Biden: Zelensky 'Didn't Want to Hear' Warnings about Invasion

US President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Port of Los Angeles, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California, US, June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Port of Los Angeles, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California, US, June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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Biden: Zelensky 'Didn't Want to Hear' Warnings about Invasion

US President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Port of Los Angeles, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California, US, June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Port of Los Angeles, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, California, US, June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US President Joe Biden said Friday that his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky "didn't want to hear" American warnings ahead of Russia's invasion of his country.

"I know a lot of people thought I was exaggerating," Biden said at a fundraising reception in Los Angeles, referring to his forewarning of the possibility of a Russian attack.

"But I knew we had data to sustain (the assessment)," he added in front of reporters.

"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) was gonna go into the border. And there was no doubt, and Zelensky didn't want to hear it, nor did a lot of people. I understand why they didn't want to hear it, but he went in."

The United States began raising the alarm over Russia's preparations for an invasion of Ukraine well before Putin announced the "special operation" against the country on February 24.

The warnings were met with disbelief and even veiled criticism from some European allies, who at the time felt the United States was being too alarmist.



Belgian Court Orders Regional Government to Stop Military Exports to Israel, Belga Reports

An Israeli flag is seen at the entrance to a school in Kibbutz Amir near Israel's border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, October 10, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
An Israeli flag is seen at the entrance to a school in Kibbutz Amir near Israel's border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, October 10, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
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Belgian Court Orders Regional Government to Stop Military Exports to Israel, Belga Reports

An Israeli flag is seen at the entrance to a school in Kibbutz Amir near Israel's border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, October 10, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
An Israeli flag is seen at the entrance to a school in Kibbutz Amir near Israel's border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, October 10, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

A court in Brussels on Thursday ordered the regional Flemish government to stop all transit of military equipment to Israel, Belgian news agency Belga reported.

The region is home to the Antwerp-Bruges port - one of the largest in Europe.