Zelensky was in a bunker during the first days of the war — Financial Times

In the early days of the war, Volodymyr Zelensky took shelter in a bunker, and Western leaders had difficulty reaching him by phone.

This was revealed by former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with the “Financial Times”.

“When Zelensky sought refuge in bunkers from Russia’s invasion and avoided Russian assassins, Stoltenberg couldn’t get in touch with him for two days. When they finally did speak, ‘the phone call was quite difficult,'” the article states, quoting the former NATO chief.

The conversation mainly revolved around Zelensky’s demands for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

“Most of the conversation was about the no-fly zone. He wanted a no-fly zone. And I couldn’t give him a no-fly zone,” Stoltenberg said.

It’s also worth noting that Stoltenberg believes NATO could accept Ukraine into the alliance without the territories currently occupied by Russia. He points to Finland as an example of a successful implementation of such a decision, arguing that NATO membership is possible “even if there is a line that is not necessarily an internationally recognized border.”

Previously, French journalists reported on Zelensky’s behavior with allies, mentioning that he sometimes loses patience and raises his voice during discussions.