According to Woodward, Harris demanded the creation of a plan that would ensure stability in Ukraine in the event that Zelensky is "killed or captured."
After their conversation, as stated in the book, Harris was concerned that this might be their last meeting.
The meeting between Zelensky and Harris in Munich took place just a few days before the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. In July 2024, Time reported that at that time, the Ukrainian president told the U.S. vice president: "If the attack is inevitable, then the U.S. must provide Ukraine with weapons and impose preemptive sanctions against Russia," – Harris rejected both requests.
As former Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov recounted to the publication, the American delegation demanded that Zelensky publicly state that a Russian invasion was inevitable. Zelensky allegedly turned to Harris, saying: "You want me to acknowledge this, but what will it give you? If I admit it here, in this conversation, will you impose sanctions?" – but received no answer.
This conversation "set the tone" for the relationship between Zelensky and Harris, "which had never been particularly warm," and heightened his frustration with allies on the eve of the invasion, noted Time.
Woodward's book War, which focuses on Joe Biden's presidency and his relationships with world leaders, will be released on October 15. CNN reported that it is based on hundreds of hours of the journalist's interviews with key participants in the events.