Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained in an interview with the BBC Russian Service that when he spoke of a "preemptive strike" against Russia, he meant sanctions, not a nuclear strike.
“When I said “preventive strike”, in English it sounds like this (turns to English) – a preventive kick (preventive kick), not an attack (attack), these are different things. That is why, when you speak English or Ukrainian, it is important that the translation is as correct as possible, because the Russians always use it the way they do now.
And the Russians simply translated these words in a way that was beneficial to them and began to repeat it everywhere. And I meant sanctions. If they said "nuclear weapons", even thought [about it] – you should bring them in. You have a nuclear package of sanctions, Europe has the opportunity to impose them – for example, after they occupied our nuclear power plant. It is very dangerous. That's what I mean,” he said.
According to him, he spoke about the need for preventive sanctions strikes even before February 24, shortly before the invasion. And now, Zelensky said, European society, primarily Britain, has recognized that he was right: “yes, you were right, we had to get involved, impose sanctions, launch preventive strikes so that Russia and its society would be afraid.”
The day before, Zelensky said that NATO should provide for the possibility of inflicting a “preemptive strike” on Russia in order to “rule out the possibility of its use of nuclear weapons.” He did not specify what kind of blow he was talking about.
“What should NATO do? Eliminate the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. But what is important, I once again appeal to the international community, as it was before February 24: pre-emptive strikes, so that they know what will happen to them if used. And not vice versa – wait for Russia's nuclear strikes, then to say: "Oh, you are so, well, keep it from us!" Reconsider the application of their pressure, the procedure for applying,” the Ukrainian president said during a video interview at the Australian Lowy Institute.
The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov , said in response to this that "this is nothing more than a call to start a world war with unpredictable monstrous consequences."
Later, Zelensky's press secretary Sergei Nikiforov clarified the words of the Ukrainian president.
“The President spoke about the period until February 24th. Then it was necessary to apply preventive measures to prevent Russia from unleashing a war. Let me remind you that the only measures that were discussed at that time were preventive sanctions,” he wrote on Facebook.
Mikhail Podolyak , adviser to the head of the office of the Ukrainian president, also reacted. According to him, in his statement, Zelensky did not talk about a preventive nuclear strike, but “reminded about Russian nuclear blackmail and suggested that the world preemptively outline the consequences for Russia and increase such strikes as sanctions and military assistance to Ukraine.”
