Vice President Kamala Harris' history as a federal prosecutor instilled in him a direct, sometimes hostile communication style that alienated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their first in-person meeting, leaving him “disgruntled” and on the defensive days before Russian troops invade your country.
Their tense encounter is chronicled in Bob Woodward's new book, “War.” In the book, Woodward details some of the most important foreign policy and security challenges President Biden oversees in his first term. These include the 2022 invasion of Russia and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Fox News obtained an advance copy of the book, which is now available in bookstores.
As Woodward reports, Biden sent Harris to the Munich Security Conference in February 2022, less than a week before Russian President Vladimir Putin's troops began their full-scale invasion of Ukraine – with the sole aim of persuading Zelensky. Russian intrusion was imminent, based on all available US intelligence and several hundred thousand troops confirmed that Russia was massing near the Belarusian border with approximately 40,000 troops.
Harris to demonstrate unified US and NATO support for Ukraine and help Zelensky come to terms with the fact that this is really happening.
However, Woodward reports, aspects of that mission have been reversed – at least behind closed doors.
In public, Harris gave a triumphant speech, effectively assuring the world of the United States' commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and Article 5. It is considered one of her crowning achievements as vice president.
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Vice President Kamala Harris and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for a photo before meeting at the Munich Security Conference. (Andrew Harnick/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
In private, however, Zelensky was immediately put off by Harris' brusque communication style and “strong” demeanor during the meeting, during which Harris and her national security adviser, Philip Gordon, wore masks and did not attempt to tighten their grip. hand of the Ukrainians. Opponents upon entering the room.
Although Germany was still under COVID-19 protocol, the meeting's icy start “disturbed” Zelensky, Woodward said, and felt “he was going to reprimand” the Ukrainian president at a frightening and vulnerable time for his nation.
“You have to take seriously the possibility of the Russians invading your country at any moment,” Harris encouraged him.
According to Woodward, things didn't get better between the two from there.
Harris, a successful former federal prosecutor and attorney general of California, has been praised and criticized for his contradictory communication style – and allegedly used it during his meeting with Zelensky in an effort to convince him of the imminence of Russian aggression.
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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters at her hotel after the Munich Security Conference. (via Andrew Harnick/Pool Reuters)
“Look,” Harris told him, after some tension, “our teams will share more specific information with you, but we are telling you that your numbers are wrong. You actually face an imminent potential attack.”
Rather than mollify him, the meeting appeared to put Ukraine's president on the more defensive side.
As Woodward writes, Zelensky was pressured to admit that the invasion was imminent, despite credible U.S. intelligence, because it would create a “self-fulfilling prophecy” for Ukraine’s nascent democracy, risking the collapse of the country’s economy and, potentially, the your government. .
Finally, Zelensky relented, looking Harris in the eye and asking directly, “What do you want me to do?”
He asked whether the United States would impose sanctions, close ports to Russian ships, give Stinger or Javelin missiles to Ukraine, or send warplanes to his country to equip them for the coming war.
Harris' response did not comfort him. “The punishment can come after the crime,” he said of the U.S. response to Russia, Woodward noted, which led him to “start thinking about things like succession planning for running the country if you are captured or killed.” . nor can he govern.”
Zelensky was urged by the United States to devise an escape plan – which he courageously refused, opting to remain in Kiev in the days and weeks following the Russian invasion.
He also rejected evacuation offers from the United States and Turkey following the outbreak of war.
“The fight is here,” he would later say from Kyiv. “I need ammunition, not a ride.”
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to reporters in front of the Patriot air defense missile system. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)
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After leaving the meeting, Harris commented to Gordon that this would be the last time he would see her again.
“War” will be available for purchase in stores on October 15th
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