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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
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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.

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China' Xi to Visit Russia May 7-10, Kremlin Says

FILE - Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a group photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a group photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP, File)
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China' Xi to Visit Russia May 7-10, Kremlin Says

FILE - Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a group photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a group photo ceremony prior to Outreach/BRICS Plus format session at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Maxim Shipenkov, Pool Photo via AP, File)

Chinese President Xi Jinping will make an official visit to Russia from May 7-10, where he will participate in celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said on Sunday.
In a statement on Telegram, the Kremlin said that Xi will discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin the development of the two countries' strategic partnership, as well as signing a number of documents.
"During the talks, the main issues of further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, as well as current issues on the international and regional agenda will be discussed," the Kremlin said.
The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War Two but pushed Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Hitler committed suicide and the red Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the Reichstag in 1945.
Several other national leaders are expected at the celebrations, including the presidents of Brazil and Serbia, and the prime minister of Slovakia, said Reuters.
Putin has proposed a three day ceasefire with Ukraine around the May 9 celebration, one of the most important in the Russian calendar.
Responding to Moscow's offer of the three-day ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was ready as long as the ceasefire would be 30 days in length, something Putin had already ruled out in the near term, saying he wants a long-term settlement not a brief pause.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine, given the continued war with Russia, could not guarantee the safety of any foreign dignitaries who came to Moscow for the traditional May 9 victory parade.