From Comedian to Symbol of Ukrainian Hope: How Volodymyr Zelenskyy Became a Wartime Leader
Rory Sullivan, Online Branch, Staff Writer
March 4th, 2022
“The biggest war in Europe since 1945”. Those are the words UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson used to describe the actions of Russia in the past few weeks concerning Ukraine. The conflict, which has been building for over a year before coming to a head with the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, has been at the forefront of the current news cycles. According to some estimates, tens of thousands of civilians could die with five million more expected to become refugees. United Nations (UN) statistics have estimated that more than 600,000 civilians have already fled, pouring into bordering countries and then traveling further into the European Union. Multiple countries, including Canada, the UK, EU members, and the United States, among others, are sending different forms of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. With the amplifying Russian aggression, It is difficult to see any possible light at the end of this conflict. However, one unexpected beacon of hope has managed to shine through: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Personally speaking, I am against and try to actively avoid idolizing and praising political leaders. After all, those who are democratically elected are public servants with responsibilities to the public, not celebrities or public figures. This was my initial mindset when the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began to unfold. But, as the weeks have gone by, it has become abundantly clear that comedian-turned-leader President Zelenskyy has become a beacon of hope for Ukrainians. President Zelenskyy is an example of a true leader. The best time to analyze a political leader is not during the easy times, but when they face immeasurable challenges. What type of person will they be when they are forced to become the face of a nation? Zelenskyy, against all odds, has become the heart of Ukrainian strength and resistance.
Prior to being elected in 2019, Zelenskyy was a comedian and actor in Ukraine who created a television program called "Servant of the People". In this show, a high school teacher accidentally becomes the President of Ukraine after one of his students records his rant against the current oppressive government. It is fairly ironic when comparing Zelenskyy in both real life and through his character in his show; both become leaders without any political experience or knowledge, and both emerge as the heroes of their country when they least expect it. Zelenskyy came to power in 2019 with his political party being named “Servant of the People” after his television show. His election platform was filled with grand promises that he has been unable to deliver during the past few years of his term. Many saw Zelenskyy as a political puppet of oligarchs who favored Russia, and Russia viewed him as an instrument to oppress and forcefully assimilate Ukrainians. In 2019, Zelenskyy had one of his first few diplomatic successes when he was able to negotiate a prisoner swap with Putin. This Russian favour was short-lived as Ukraine refused to give up their Western ties. Zelenskyy has been referred to as a "pawn of the West" by Putin, and his name may be familiar to those who followed Trump’s impeachment process; former US President Donald Trump called Zelenskyy to help investigate Joe and Hunter Biden, an incident for which Zelenskyy has refused to apologize.
But despite his rocky beginning as a political leader, Zelenskyy was truly faced with his first major challenge amidst rising tensions with Russia. Zelenskyy had originally downplayed the threat of Russian invasion to the disappointment and anger of many Ukrainians. However, with the invasion of Russia, Zelenskyy has been forced to consider what kind of leader, and man, he wants to be. It would come as no surprise if he were to take the United States’ offer for evacuation, as many leaders throughout history have done. Zelenskyy said himself to a group of European leaders that they would likely not see him again. In truth, there is no doubt that Zelenskyy has a strong chance at being executed, but rather than be evacuated, he stated “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride”. Those words have been taking social media by storm, with many praising the sentiment as that belonging to a true leader. As a new poll shows, Zelenskyy's approval rating in 91%, three times what it was just two months ago. Days after the invasion began, Zelenskyy joined fighters on the front lines in the resistance against Russian advancements in Ukraine. He has been vocal and consistent in calling out the US and other allies for their lack of support in the earlier days of the conflict, stating “We have been left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight alongside us? I don’t see anyone. Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO membership? Everyone is afraid.”
Though in many senses an unofficial NATO member due to its deep ties to Western allies, Ukraine was unlikely to be inducted into NATO due to Putin’s view that this would be a direct threat to Russia. One of Putin’s security demands presented to the US and NATO in December was that Ukraine never be granted NATO membership. Zelenskyy was right in saying that Western nations were scared to upset Russia, but with numerous countries imposing sanctions against Russia and sharing statements of solidarity for Ukraine, perhaps this represents the beginning of global support for the Ukrainian state as a worthy member of the Western international community. It is abundantly clear that while Zelenskyy may have been an unfit leader throughout the beginning of his term, he has more than stepped up to become the symbol of hope for Ukraine. Becoming comfortable in our Western democracies with leaders who bicker and involve themselves in scandal makes it extremely easy to forget what it means to have a true leader of the people - someone who is prepared to fight and die alongside regular citizens for the good of their country. Someone as it turns out, like President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was able to win the support of not only his own people, but that of the world.