The quote spread online does not belong to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His words have been significantly distorted and are being spread online without proper context. In fact, during a joint briefing with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the President of Ukraine said that Ukraine “is not considering alternatives” to the aid bill from the U.S. Congress, as America is a strategic partner of Ukraine.
Netizens are spreading a “statement” by the President of Ukraine, who allegedly said that if the US refuses to provide aid to Ukraine, he will no longer consider the US a strategic partner.
“I will no longer consider the United States a strategic partner of Ukraine if we do not receive assistance,” users share a fake quote from Zelenskyy’s speech at the Munich Security Conference.
In fact, Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not say these words. The quote is a distorted interpretation of one of the fragments of his speech.
During the Munich Security Conference, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Vice President Kamala Harris held a joint briefing. When asked by a journalist whether the Ukrainian government was considering a “Plan B” if Congress did not approve the bill on additional funding for Ukraine, the President of Ukraine said that Ukraine was not considering alternatives.
“We are counting on a positive decision of the Congress. This package is vital for us. We are not considering alternatives today because we count on the United States as our strategic partner and hope that it will remain a strategic partner. If we talk about an alternative, it means that it is not our strategic partner. That is why I do not consider such an alternative,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
These words served as the basis for the creation of a manipulative “quote”, which is also being spread online without proper context.
Kamala Harris also supported Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She expressed her belief that if the draft law is put to a vote, it will be passed. When asked by a journalist about a “plan B” if Congress does not approve the aid, Kamala Harris also emphasized: “There is only Plan A which is to ensure that Ukraine receives what it needs.“
She is convinced that when talking about assistance to allies, there should be no “politicking in this issue.” “When we talk about the role of America as it relates to our support of Ukraine, we must be unwavering, and we cannot play political games. Political gamesmanship has no role to play in this process,” Harris said.
The President of Ukraine also emphasized that he did not consider the course of adoption of the draft law a “treacherous position”. He is confident in the positive decision of the Congress.
“I do not think it is a treacherous position, because I do not think that our strategic partner can afford not to support Ukraine. That is, I don’t see any possibility for a strategic partner to take such a position. We see challenges (electoral, internal – I won’t comment on them), but we expect that the allied position will remain,” Zelenskyy said.
Earlier, StopFake journalists analyzed the disinformation that the President of Ukraine allegedly accused the United States of “depriving Ukrainian pensioners of their money.”
