Zelenskyy Confirms Quote About Refusing U.S. Evacuation Offer

U.S. officials he needed ammunition rather than an evacuation offer as Russian forces approached Kyiv in February 2022. The confirmation came during remarks marking four years since the full-scale Russian invasion began. Zelenskyy said the response showed that Ukrainians understood they had no other country to defend.

U.S. intelligence official. The story stated that the United States had offered to evacuate Zelenskyy from the capital. Biden administration officials contacted the Associated Press after publication to question the account. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke directly with the reporter to request a review of the facts.

The Washington Post later reported that administration officials expressed confusion about the claim and denied that the United States had asked Zelenskyy to leave Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Britain posted the quote on social media hours after the original report. Multiple news organizations then published the account. In a 2023 book, author Franklin Foer described the administration's internal discussion about whether to seek a correction.

The Associated Press has not issued a correction or retraction. Zelenskyy stated in his recent speech that the decision reflected a shared understanding among Ukrainians that Ukraine was their only home.