Some observers sometimes speak of the “Vladimir Putin Madness”. Facing him, Volodymyr Zelensky, always offers the same answer: wisdom His “coolness” has been hailed since the start of this crisis by his counterparts, in particular Emmanuel Macron.
Zelensky has always tried to reassure his population, not to outbid Putin’s warmongering. His counterattack: stay calm. Early Thursday, February 24, he addressed Ukrainians in a one-minute video on Facebook:
“Do not panic, he saidwe will win”. The president believes in collective action, in the unity of Europeans and Americans. During the night, he spoke with the American, British and German leaders. “We are building an anti-Putin coalition, did he declarethe world must compel Russia to peace.”
Last night he sent a message, not to Putin, but to the Russian people. The only one he could still touch. Rare fact, Zelensky had then spoken in Russian and not in Ukrainian, which reminds him of his origins. He was born in Ukraine in 1978, in a Russian-speaking town.
Zelensky was not prepared to become president, let alone a war. When elected in 2019. He has no political experience or military knowledge. Volodymyr Zelensky, 41 years old at the time, is an actor-comedian. He becomes president almost by accident, inspired by the role he plays in a very famous series in Ukraine: servant of the people. He plays a history teacher, quite naive, who becomes, thanks to the campaign, his students head of the Ukrainian state.
At that time, the success of the series, his appearances on social networks appealed to Ukrainians who elected him – in real life – President of the Republic with 73.2% of the vote. He makes two promises: to fight corruption and to negotiate peace in the Donbass.
Wedged between the American hammer and the Russian anvil, it has gradually withdrawn into itself. Even before the crisis, he had begun to narrow his circle. Within the government, for example, he surrounds himself with people he trusts, especially those in his family. His approval rating has dropped to 23%.
His lack of military experience worries. According to a recent poll, 55% of the population believed before the Russian military operation that in the event of an attack, he was not the right man. Vladimir Putin decided otherwise last night and the “clown-Zelensky”as he defined himself a few years ago, will soon have to complete his transformation into a warlord.