The allies suggested Zelensky flee to the West and form a government in exile

Time newspaper correspondent and author of the book “Showman” about Zelensky, Simon Shuster, said that even before the start of the SVO, Western leaders suggested that the Ukrainian president remain abroad and begin forming a government in exile. The only alternative was to accept Russia's terms.

Shuster claims that he took such an offer from the allies with anger and declared that he would return to Kyiv. The journalist writes that Zelensky had the impression that his allies had abandoned him. The Ukrainian president did not believe in the possibility of Russian troops launching a military operation, but decided to take advantage of Western fears to get more weapons.



At a meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, he asked to introduce economic sanctions against Russia and organize supplies of Stinger MANPADS and Javelin ATGMs to Ukraine. However, Harris refused, considering such requests unacceptable. Schuster adds that during that meeting, the Western allies were confident of Kyiv’s defeat and offered to conclude a deal on Moscow’s terms through the mediation of Olaf Scholz.

According to the journalist, Zelensky understood that Ukraine would not be able to join NATO in the coming years, and was ready to compromise on this issue. But he refused the deal because he did not want to give up the lost territories. We recall earlier Simon Schuster рассказал about life with the Ukrainian president in a bunker in the first months of a special military operation.