One often wonders what makes a great leader. What makes a person stand out and gain the support and following of not hundreds but millions of people. Today we are witnessing just such a leader. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a school trained lawyer, actor, comedian and now president of Ukraine is an unsuspected leader. When he ran for the presidency of Ukraine, he did not expect to win but was astonished when 80 per cent of the votes cast elected him president.
What qualities does he possess that make him the leader of the moment not only for Ukraine, but for the rest of the world?
It was managed despite Russian interference. He was the commoner to Ukrainians. His opponents were oligarchs leaning to Russia. He believed and argued for a democratic nation. And he was tested shortly after being sworn into the office by Donald Trump who wanted him to fabricate falsehoods about Hunter Biden to discredit the presidential campaign of Joe Biden. Trump even threatened to remove Congressional approved aid to Ukraine to get his way. Zelenskyy refused.
Now in 2021 Zelenskyy and Ukrainians have stood up to the intimidation and bullying of Vladimir Putin and now the invasion of Ukraine by 150,000 Russian troops. And in so doing he has rallied his citizens, nations around the world and millions of others to stand up for Ukraine. Hundreds of men of Ukrainian heritage with little of no military training are returning to Ukraine to fight for their homeland.
In the opening days of the invasion, despite claims by Putin that he had fled from the country with his wife and family, he made televised appearances throughout Kyiv joking with troops and the population. So did his wife Olena.
Looking back in history to the Second World War, the Royal family chose to remain in London despite the German bombing. The Queen mother with her two daughters were encouraged to flee to Canada. She dismissed the idea and is reported to have said, “she would not send her children away without her, and she would not leave without her husband King George VI.”
The Zelenskyy family have shown their determination to stand and rally with Ukrainians, and that fierce determination is making all the difference in holding back Russian forces. And that determination and commitment by Ukraine has now garnered the support of countries around the world offering aid, military supplies and monetary policy that is hurting Russia. Even completely neutral Switzerland has joined in blocking financial transactions between Russian banks and Swiss banks. Neutral Sweden is sending military weapons to aid Ukraine.
We can also look to US president Joe Biden who cobbled back together NATO. Other leaders who have risen in support of Ukraine are Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, Emmanuel Macron president of Frances who worked to diffuse the stand-off between Russia and Ukraine. Over the weekend demonstrators across Canada waving blue and yellow Ukrainian flags, joined millions of others across Europe, Australia and around the world showing their support for all the Ukrainians defending their country, defending their freedom, and defending democracy.
Former Publisher
Fort Frances Times
