"I did not believe that a full-scale war against Ukraine could happen," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with foreign media, APA reports.
He nevertheless acknowledged that the invasion took place.
Zelenskyy also touched upon former US President Joe Biden's refusal to impose sanctions on Russia before the war.
"We told the Americans that if you believe there will be a war, give us weapons urgently. But no one gave us anything. I asked President Biden to impose sanctions on Russia before the war as a preventive measure. But he replied that they would impose sanctions after the attack. I am not God to judge this. But I think this action was a mistake," Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President also spoke about the issue of his evacuation from Kyiv.
According to Zelenskyy, Biden asked him to evacuate: "He said that we are ready to help you evacuate. Kyiv is surrounded, and we are ready to help you and your family. I replied that I need weapons, not evacuation."
The Ukrainian leader noted that Russia had spread numerous claims regarding his evacuation.
"Their idea was that if the leader fled the country, the people would flee too. They wanted me to flee. I could not leave Kyiv, the people, or my office. It was impossible. It would have been a betrayal of myself and the Ukrainian Constitution."
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