Name? Volodymyr Zelensky
Westphalian identity? Ukrainian
Age? 44
Why is he in the news? Let’s be honest, when is he not these days? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is showing the world what 21st century warfare can look like. The former actor has perfected his “performance” as a young charismatic leader, especially on social media, and won over many followers all over the world.
Why do we care? Because he may have been overplaying his hand a bit these past few days. At the very beginning of the Russian invasion Zelensky’s calls to the world were heard and changed policymakers’ minds on what sanctions to implement. On day 26 of the invasion it seems Zelensky is overstepping rhetorically and no longer receiving the positive echo he aimed for in the past. Asking NATO for a no-fly zone (aka open war against Russia) and the EU to cut off Russian gas (aka crippling the Union’s economy) is largely unproductive and unattainable.
Why should you care? Zelensky’s performance the last four weeks is nothing short of a political communication masterclass, unlike Putin who continues to avoid Covid and thoughts other than his own. This disadvantage is a thorn in Putin’s side, as it becomes increasingly difficult to portray the Jewish-native-Russian-speaker Zelensky as head of a Russian-oppressing Nazi government. You should care 6/10.
Who else cares? Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. An address to the Knesset in which Zelensky invoked the Holocaust caused backlash against the Ukrainian President. Bennett responded that the Holocaust should not be compared to anything, he understands the Ukrainian suffering, other lawmakers were not as diplomatic.
Any further comments? This weekend, Zelensky’s government suspended 11 political parties with links to Russia and signed a decree to combine national TV channels into one platform under martial law to streamline communication. However, the suspension of political parties, the biggest opposition party among them, is a dangerous move for any democracy and further plays into the Russian narrative.
